At-home celiac risk assessment tests offer unprecedented convenience by allowing people to take the first steps toward diagnosis in their own homes. However, these tests should only be used with the guidance of a physician who can interpret the results and recommend any necessary follow-up testing and management strategies. At-home tests are not always covered by health insurance providers, and they only provide a limited view of what is happening with a person’s immune system in response to gluten.
Generally, celiac risk assessment at home measures antibodies in the blood that are associated with celiac disease. Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system to help defend against invading germs like viruses and bacteria. Celiac disease causes the immune system to produce autoantibodies that target a person’s own healthy tissue, or intestinal cells.
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The other kind of at-home celiac disease test analyzes DNA to look for specific gene variants that are linked to a person’s risk of developing gluten sensitivity and/or celiac disease. This test requires people to collect a sample by using the cheek swab included in the kit. They then send the swab back to the company’s CLIA-certified labs via a prepaid shipping envelope. The company writes that people can expect their results within a few weeks.
Both types of at-home tests offer valuable information, but they only assess current responses to gluten. In order to confirm a celiac disease diagnosis, a series of laboratory tests and a small bowel biopsy are usually required. The good news is that if a person follows a gluten-free diet, the autoantibodies associated with celiac disease typically decrease over time.