The 4 Best Home Celiac Tests Of 2023 + Symptoms Of Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects genetically susceptible people. When a person with celiac disease ingests gluten, it triggers an immune response that damages the lining of the small intestines. The best home celiac tests help patients and physicians identify this condition, so appropriate treatment can be started.

Although a few symptoms are similar, celiac disease is not the same thing as a gluten intolerance. While gluten intolerance also causes short-term bloating and pain, it doesn't commonly lead to the same long-term harm celiac disease can. People with gluten intolerance may experience symptom improvement over time, while those with celiac disease find they are unable to eat gluten for the rest of their lives.

Celiac disease only develops in people who are genetically predisposed, and is estimated to affect approximately 1 in every 100 people worldwide. People with a first-degree relative who has celiac disease have a higher risk of developing the disease themselves than those whose first-degree relatives do not have the disease. For reference, a first-degree relative is a parent, child, or sibling. 

Many symptoms of celiac disease are related to the digestive system. These symptoms commonly include chronic diarrhea or constipation; pale, bad-smelling stool; gas and bloating; weight loss; and stomach pain. More than half of adults diagnosed with celiac disease have systemic symptoms.

Currently, the only treatment for celiac disease is a strict, lifelong gluten-free diet. Gluten is found in wheat, barley, and rye along with other grains.

People with celiac can have a reaction after eating something as small as a crumb of toast. Gluten can hide in medications, foods, and nonfood products when they are manufactured in plants where gluten is also present. For example, lipstick, toothpaste, nutritional supplements, prescription and over-the-counter medications, playdough, and envelope and stamp glue may contain gluten.

Wendie Trubow, certified functional medicine practitioner and president of the National Celiac Association, recommends making "gluten-free safety nonnegotiable and consider making the home gluten-free since shared spaces often expose the celiac individual to levels of gluten that will not allow them to truly get healthy." 

There are two types of home celiac tests: antibody testing and genetic testing. 

Antibody tests use a blood sample to check for antibodies that have a known association with celiac disease. An antibody is a protein produced by the immune system in the presence of celiac disease. Celiac antibody tests evaluate the presence of specific antibodies that are found at high levels only in people who have celiac disease. 

Genetic celiac tests evaluate the presence of a genetic marker associated with the presence of celiac disease. However, even when a person has this genetic marker, they may not develop the symptoms of celiac disease—this is not a diagnostic test. A genetic test will instead give you a better idea of how likely you are to develop celiac. The definitive diagnostic test is an EGD (endoscope) and biopsy. Before completing this test, you will be asked to eat a specific amount of gluten, for the most accurate results.

A person with symptoms of celiac disease, or with a relative who has been diagnosed, may want to take an at-home celiac disease test. Since the disease is genetic, which means it runs in families, a first-degree family member with the disease may increase your risk significantly. 

If you do choose to use an at-home celiac test, it's important to discuss your results with a health care professional to determine whether further testing is necessary.

While awareness of the disease has risen, celiac disease is often confused with non-celiac gluten sensitivity or a wheat allergy. The symptoms are similar, but the course of care differs dramatically. 

People with celiac disease should see their doctor when diarrhea or other digestive symptoms last for more than two weeks. Children with celiac disease should be evaluated when they are irritable, fail to grow within normal limits, or present with a pot belly and foul-smelling stools. 

Experts estimate that up to 83% of people with celiac disease are undiagnosed1 or misdiagnosed with other gastrointestinal issues.