Wondering If Celiac Diagnosis Is a Fad

by DD
(Richmond, Va)

Would any ole person who's eating gluten have blood test results that show high IGA? Is this a legitimate question? Or, would only someone with Celiac have it?

Also, i've read that it's possible to have these high antibodies on the blood tests but not test positive on the biopsy. I've heard that this indicates a kind of low level Celiacs for lack of a better word.

But I'm really interested in having my first question answered.

My doc is really pushing for a Celiac diagnosis, and I'm a bit skeptical.

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Thousands of Studies...
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

Hi DD,

So, I can definitely understand your resistance at getting a diagnosis, but at least they are finding what is wrong with you. I'm wondering what kinds of symptoms that you are having and how long it has taken them to actually find out that you have Celiac!!

So, in answer to your question, you have to think about how antibodies are created. You get antibodies to 'things' -anything - by having your own immune system attack foreign bodies that get into your bloodstream- remember the movie "Fantastic Voyage" where they shrunk themselves and went into the guy's bloodstream and the immune system was attacking them?

A healthy digestive tract is a 'closed' system. Under normal circumstances NOTHING in your digestive tract would have access to your bloodstream and vice versa- it just doesn't happen because that is literally how we survive!! Our digestive tract is DESIGNED to keep food and bacteria out of our bloodstream.

So, I ask you- where did you GET the antibodies to gluten?

The ONLY explanation is that you have Increased Intestinal Permeability that allowed the large gluten protein molecules to get into your bloodstream and have your immune system attack the protein molecules. And you get increased intestinal permeability from SOMETHING that is causing continual widespread inflammation- most likely gluten!

The answer to your other question is that YES, you CAN have antibodies to gluten, but not be 'biopsy positive' for Celiac Disease because the inflammation hasn't progressed to the point where destruction has occurred yet.

While being biopsy negative most docs won't give you a Celiac diagnosis, but you can still have Non Celiac Gluten Intolerance- which still has the same problem of being that you need to get off of gluten to relieve your problems.

I'm not sure if this answered your questions or not- let me know.

Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Immune System

Gluten testing
by: Shelley

My daughter-in-law says she had blood tests and skin tests that determined she had Gluten intolerance that is causing her migraines. She says her headaches have gotten better, but now she is pregnant and the headaches have returned. She says the headaches are "different" from the "gluten" headaches, therefore, not related. I am very skeptical that her migraines are from Gluten. She, also, has thyroid problems. Should I be concerned for her and her unborn child? Not eating Gluten "for health reasons" seems to be a fad that can be dangerous.

Dangerous?
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen

So what could be 'dangerous' about avoiding gluten? The human race did not have gluten in our diet until the agricultural revolution, which means that humans didn't have gluten for 99.999% of our evolution.

So why would avoiding gluten be 'dangerous'? It's FAR FAR more dangerous to eat gluten when you are allergic to it, then to avoid it even if there is no need to avoid it. Gluten is not a necessary part of the diet, and, in fact, it is an anti-inflammatory substance that should not even be considered food. Be happy that she found a resolution to her migraines. Most people with chronic health issues are not so lucky.

Kerri Knox, RN
PS: Get the Real Food Summit to get you on the path to eating the RIGHT way for good health. End the confusion about what to eat today!

Gluten
by: Shelley

I want to add to my comment about my daughter-in-law. She is still having migraines, now that she is pregnant. I, myself, have extreme IBS, which is being helped by a medical implant from Medtronic called a spinal stimulator implant that delivers a constant electric stimulus to my intestines. My Docs log thought I had Celiac disease, among other things. I have been ill for over 40 years with this and the implant is the only thing, including going vegan for 5 years, that has helped me for the last 10 years. I still question my daughter-in-law's
diagnosis since she does not have any other bowel or stomach problems and still has migraines. Her eating habits are not adding many good nutrients to her growing baby.

You are confusing gluten sensitivity with Celiac
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen

You seem to be mixing up Non Celiac Gluten Intolerance with Celiac Disease. They are entirely different. And the fact that they thought that you might have Celiac is reason to believe that you have gluten intolerance. And it's genetic, so there is no reason to believe that your daughter's diagnosis is incorrect. Relief of migraines due to getting off of gluten is an entirely predictable and common phenomenon. Gluten Sensitivity, and even full blown Celiac, COMMONLY have no digestive component. This is a myth that doctors perpetrate in their ignorance, but there is no need to have any digestive symptoms to have either Celiac or gluten sensitivity.

IBS is a typical result of gluten sensitivity as well. If you have IBS, you almost CERTAINLY have gluten sensitivity. That you did not get better on a vegan diet is meaningless because vegan diets are often very high in gluten. Unless you went off of gluten (and most grains, since most other non-gluten grains are indigestible and irritate the gut too), then you cannot know if your IBS would be responsive to being gluten free.

Nothing that you've said leads me to change my opinion that both you AND your daughter are, indeed, gluten sensitive.

Kerri Knox, RN
PS: Get the Real Food Summit to get you on the path to eating the RIGHT way for good health. End the confusion about what to eat today!

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