Food Detective - FAQs: Wheat Intolerance
I have tested positive to gluten but not wheat, why?
In the Food Detective, gluten is tested separately from the other wheat proteins, as it can be isolated using an alcohol extraction. The other wheat proteins are extracted using an aqueous solution. Therefore, the wheat extract does not contain gluten but other proteins found in wheat such as seed storage proteins. If you have antibodies to gluten but not to other proteins found in wheat, wheat will not show a positive result. Similarly, if you have antibodies to non-gluten proteins, wheat will show a positive result and in the absence of antibodies to gluten, gluten will remain negative.
If I test positive to gluten, does that mean I have Coeliac Disease?
Coeliac Disease is an intolerance to gluten that is found in wheat, rye and barley. It affects approximately 1 person in 1000 in the UK and is a life-long inflammatory condition of the intestinal tract. A positive reaction to gluten on the Food Detective™ is not confirmation of Coeliac disease. If you are worried about Coeliac Disease you should refer to the CNS Coeliac Screen for the Gliadin IgA/IgG and the tissueTransglutaminase IgA test.
If I test positive to wheat, does that mean I have Coeliac Disease?
A positive reaction to wheat result is not confirmation of Coeliac disease (see previous question). If you are worried about Coeliac Disease you should refer to the CNS Coeliac Screen for the Gliadin IgA /IgG and tissue Transglutaminase IgA test.
I have completely eliminated wheat from my diet for many months now, and after a re-test, my IgG levels are still high, why?
Over time, the concentration of IgG antibodies to that particular food will gradually decrease. The half life of IgG in the blood stream is approximately 23 days. However, antigens that have been held in the liver may be slowly released over several months, resulting in some persistent antibody production. The levels, however, will decline gradually, barring any new exposure.
I know that I have a reaction to wheat and have been avoiding it, but it did not show up in the test, why?
If you have been avoiding a particular food for a few months, it is possible that antibody levels to the food concerned have reduced to a level undetectable by the test.
What alternatives are there to wheat?
There are many alternatives to wheat. Please consult the CNS Dietary Support Guide (provided in the Food Detective™ box).
What is durum wheat and why has that not tested positive, although wheat has?
Durum wheat and common wheat are different species of wheat. Durum wheat is very hard and is usually used to make flour and semolina for pasta. The protein content is different and therefore one can show up positive and not the other. Many people find that they can tolerate durum wheat if they are positive for wheat but negative to durum wheat.