Celiac disease affects somewhere around 1-4% of the population, making it one of the most common of the autoimmune diseases. Because it can mimic so many other problems and can even be latent or symptoms very mild, this disease often goes undetected for years, leaving a person to potentially suffer complications that they may have been well able to avoid had they known they suffered from celiac disease.

Celiac disease testing can be very difficult. Many of the tests will only work if a person is currently eating gluten as part of their daily diet, and other tests require biopsies, which require a hospital and anesthesia. There is a fair amount of research and efforts being made to find better tests that are more sensitive, quicker and more accurate. This need for better testing has also created a commercial field of testing by companies many of which are questionable and whose tests may or may not work.

Despite that many people flock to these companies looking for answers promised to them, that they are unable to get by conventional means. Not all of these tests and companies are legit, but some are, so you will need to take your time to find research the companies you want to deal with to see if their tests are accurate and if the company is reputable.

Currently acceptable testing for celiac disease consists of two parts first is four serum antibody tests that will measure IgA antibodies. If this test comes back positive then many doctors will simply assume that the patient has celiac disease and instruct them to try a gluten free diet to see if this eliminates their symptoms.  A second more expensive and invasive test can be done, called a small bowel biopsy. This test measures the amount of damage to the small intestine and is considered the definitive test for celiac disease.

A final test that has been used it a genetic test that checks for a gene formation that has been associated with celiac disease. This test can identify whether you are genetically at risk for celiac disease, but it cannot prove or disprove if you actually have the disease. It is most useful for seeing if you are at risk for the disease or man be used for patients with severe symptoms that test negative to the antibody tests. Keep in mind that many insurance companies will not cover this sort of testing, and it can be expensive.