Gluten allergy testing involves blood tests to rule out other conditions, a skin test to determine if an individual has a true gluten allergy, and an elimination diet to confirm the allergy. Once confirmed, an individual’s diet must be modified to exclude gluten.
A gluten allergy test generally consists of a series of procedures to determine whether an individual has a sensitivity to foods containing gluten. Typically, as the first step in gluten allergy testing, a patient has certain blood tests to rule out other causative conditions, particularly celiac disease. A skin test is usually done to clarify whether an individual has a true gluten allergy or another type of food allergy. In addition to the skin prick test, an elimination diet is often used as another determinant test for gluten allergy.
The symptoms of a gluten allergy often mimic the symptoms of other conditions, particularly celiac disease. You may then need a certain blood test to measure the levels of particular antibodies. The blood test itself is not a test for gluten allergy, but is mainly used to rule out celiac disease. Another type of blood test, called an erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) test, might also be ordered to determine if there is inflammation indicative of celiac disease. Occasionally, a stool fat test may be recommended to determine if there are high levels of fecal fat, which could also indicate celiac disease.
Once celiac disease has effectively been ruled out, the next step in the gluten allergy testing protocol is usually a skin test. During a skin test, drops of solutions containing potential allergens, including gluten, are placed on a person’s skin. Small scratches or pin pricks are made to allow the drops to enter the skin. The patient is then monitored for skin reactions, such as hives or rashes. If the reaction occurs in response to the substance with the gluten allergen, the test is considered positive, indicating that the individual has a gluten allergy.
In some cases, if a skin test is negative but symptoms persist, an elimination diet may be recommended. An elimination diet is typically the longest and most difficult gluten allergy test. Gluten-containing foods are strategically removed from a person’s diet, and the person is monitored to see if symptoms ease. If symptoms subside, the identified foods are reintroduced, and if symptoms return, the gluten allergy is usually confirmed. Many of the foods that contain gluten also contain other possible allergens, such as wheat or dairy products, so the process of eliminating them can be tedious and time-consuming.
When an allergy is confirmed using a gluten allergy test, an individual’s diet will usually be modified to exclude foods containing gluten. Gluten is present in a wide variety of foods, and a person with a gluten allergy must learn to read all food labels carefully. An individual eliminating gluten from their diet may need to enlist the help of a dietician in planning nutritious, gluten-free meals.
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