Home health test for gluten reaction that makes people sensitive to gluten, the protein found in wheat, barley, rye and triticale. It causes the immune system to attack and destroy healthy cells in the small intestine, which leads to a range of health problems. Traditional diagnostic testing for celiac disease has focused on blood antibody tests and intestinal biopsies. These tests can be misleading, however, because they only measure a small portion of how one’s body reacts to gluten. For example, they don’t take into account that other grains contain different types of gluten (gliadin).

A number of home DNA screening kits are available that claim to provide information about a person’s genetic susceptibility to a variety of conditions, including gluten sensitivity and celiac disease. These kits allow users to collect a saliva sample at home, send it to a lab for processing and receive results via email or online. Some of these tests also offer ancestry information.

CLIA-Certified Celiac DNA Test Kits: Are They Trustworthy?

There are two main types of at-home DNA tests that can be used to evaluate a person’s risk for celiac disease: antibody tests and genetic tests. Abnormal antibodies in the blood can indicate that a person has celiac disease, but it’s important to understand that antibody levels are normally low in people who follow a strict gluten-free diet.

Genetic testing can be useful in evaluating the risk for developing gluten-related disorders, but it doesn’t replace a detailed medical consultation with a doctor about a person’s symptoms and family history. Other factors, such as environmental and immune system responses, are likely to play a role in the development of many disorders and should be evaluated with the help of a physician.