Are you already avoiding gluten?

How much glutenshould I eat to get the most accurate test results?

If you've already reduced or eliminated gluten from your diet, you will need to reintroduce it to make sure you get the most accurate test results. While it may be difficult and uncomfortable, it is essential to your long-term health.

As a general guideline, the recommendation is to eat some gluten in more than one meal every day for at least 6 weeks before testing.

For children you can mix wheat flour into foods such as yoghurt or baked beans to add more gluten into their diet. 

How will I be able to manage my symptoms?

If you are reintroducing gluten into your diet, you should discuss how best to manage your symptoms with your GPGeneral Practitioner, or local doctor. Your GP will be able to arrange a test for coeliac diseaseA condition where a person is unable to eat gluten as it makes their body attack itself. as soon as it is appropriate.

I don't want to eat gluten to get tested. What else can I do?

We understand how hard it is to get diagnosed if you have started a gluten-freeWhen a food has less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten so it is safe for people with coeliac disease to eat. diet. Getting a medical diagnosis, however, is important to ensure you get the medical follow-up and support that is recommended for people with coeliac disease. Unfortunately, there are no other tests that can diagnose coeliac disease other than the antibody blood testBlood is taken from someone who is being tested for coeliac disease. and the gut biopsyThis simple procedure looks for gut damage. A thin tube is passed through the mouth, down to the upper part of the small intestine. Then a tiny sample of gut lining is collected. This can be done using local anaesthetic and/or sedation. . These tests depend on people eating gluten.

People who do not have a medical diagnosis of coeliac disease can join Coeliac UK as Subscribers in order to access our services and resources.