Page Banner
Diagnosing Celiac Disease

Celiac Disease

Celiac disease can arise at any age creating damage to your intestines and starving your body of critical nutrients. With a range of symptoms commonly associated with other conditions, knowing if you are celiac, or simply have a gluten allergy or intolerance, is key to ensuring you’re on the right path to health.

How is the test performed?

Blood sample
Order Now

Email me a patient package

Submit

What is Celiac disease?

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder triggered by eating grains that contain gluten such as wheat, rye and barley.

Over time, this autoimmune response to a perceived threat can cause irreversible damage to the small intestine and prevent your body from absorbing nutrients critical for good health. About 1% of Canadians have celiac disease and it can appear at any age. While symptoms can vary greatly, in adults common symptoms include abdominal pain, flatulence and diarrhea. In children, they often have diarrhea and abnormal stretching of the abdomen, but may also show signs of malnutrition, anemia and failure to thrive. If celiac disease is diagnosed and treated early, the damaged tissues can heal, and you can reduce the risk of developing long-term complications.

Celiac symptoms and food intolerance or allergies can appear to be similar, but allergies and intolerances do not damage the lining of the intestine. It’s important to determine the causes of your symptoms so that you have the right care plan developed.

What is a Celiac test?

If a person has celiac disease, their body produces two antibody proteins, immunoglobin A (IgA) and immunioglobulin G (IgG), in response to a perceived threat, in this case gluten.

LifeLabs offers a combination of two tests to measure the amount of these proteins in the blood:
  •  Anti TTG IgA
  • Anti Deamidated Gliadin IgG

While IgA is the primary antibody produced in individuals with celiac, some people have an IgA deficiency which produces a false negative. This is why our bundle of celiac tests includes a second test to detect the antibody IgG.

Additional information can be found in our Celiac Test brochure here.

Who should get tested?

You can be tested for celiac disease at any age. The symptoms are often nonspecific and variable, making the disease difficult to spot. You should speak with your doctor if you have a family history of celiac disease, or if you are experiencing one or more of the symptoms commonly associated with celiac disease including:

  • abdominal pain and bloating
  • chronic diarrhea
  • weight loss
  • extreme fatigue
  • flatulence
  • unexplained iron-deficiency anemia
  • joint pain

You can order the test here. 

When is this test ordered?

A physician may recommend a celiac blood test if you:

  • are exhibiting symptoms common associated with celiac disease
  • have a medical history that suggests celiac disease is a possibility
  • have a family history of celiac disease
  • have already been diagnosed with celiac and physician wants to monitor your IgA and IgG levels after gluten has been removed from your diet

A physician may also order a test if you have a condition that is known to be associated with celiac disease including:

  • Type 1 diabetes
  • Down syndrome
  • Thyroiditis
  • Arthritis
  • Depression
  • Neuropathy
How can I get tested?

Testing is completed by LifeLabs at a Patient Service Centre or via our mobile lab service (available in select cities) through a simple blood sample. You will require a completed test requisition from your healthcare provider.

You can order the test here.

Understanding your results

Test results will be provided directly to your healthcare provider for discussion with you. The report will indicate:

  • Whether IgA protein is present in your blood and the levels
  • Whether IgG protein is present in your blood and the levels

If your test results show the presence of either the IgA or IgG proteins, your healthcare provider may suggest additional testing before developing a treatment plan.

Sources
Overview

We offer a combination of two tests that measure the amount of the IgA class (immunoglobulin A) and IgG class (immunoglobulin G) autoantibodies. IgG and IgA are two of five classes of antibody proteins that the immune system produces in response to a perceived threat. IgA is the primary antibody present in gastrointestinal secretions.

Tissue transglutaminase antibody (tTG), IgA class
The primary test ordered to screen for celiac disease. It is the most sensitive and specific blood test for celiac disease and is the test recommended by the Canadian Celiac Association. This test may also be used to monitor treatment effectiveness, as IgA antibody levels should fall once gluten is removed from the diet.

Deamidated Gliadin IgG antibodies
Around 2-3% of people with Celiac disease have an IgA deficiency, which can lead to a false negative result of the tTG, IgA test. This is when a test to measure IgG is recommended. The Deamidated Gliadin IgG antibodies test may be positive in some people with celiac disease who are negative for anti-tTG, especially children less than 2 years old.

These tests may be carried out in additional to an endoscopy.  Learn more

 

How to order

Celiac Disease Testing

Order form

Samples for celiac testing may be taken at any of our Patient Service Centres. Patients must have the requisition form above completed by a physician or healthcare provider.

Cost

The cost of the celiac test is: $125

The celiac test bundle (anti TTG IgA and anti Deamidated Gliadin IgG) is currently an uninsured test.  

Payment may be made by the patient when the blood sample is taken at one of our Patient Service Centres. For convenience, Visa, Mastercard and Debit Cards are excepted.

Patient are encouraged to check with their private health care provider to see if coverage is provided.

Receiving results

Results will be available to you within two weeks.

Request more information

We have a wealth of medical experts available to support you in interpreting test results.
Consults with our experts are available upon request. Request medical consultation.

Request more information

Schedule a test

The combination Celiac test, anti TTG IgA and anti Deamidated Gliadin IgG, may be scheduled directly by the patient at any of our Patient Service Centres offering this service. They must have a requisition form completed by a physician or healthcare provider.

Find a Location   Schedule an Appointment

Sources

People who looked at the Celiac Disease were also interested in:

Featured
Services
Reaching a definitive diagnosis of hypertension

24-Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM)

Learn More
Take the guesswork out of your diet

IgG Food Sensitivity Testing

Symptoms associated with food sensitivities develop slowly over time and can create inflammation and contribute to symptoms of a variety of diseases. The RMA FST™ IgG Food Sensitivity test can help identify potential food sensitivities and take the guesswork out of your diet.
Learn More
Colorectal Cancer Screening

Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT)

FIT is a safe and painless at-home cancer screening test. FIT checks someone’s stool (poop) for tiny amounts of blood, which could be caused by colon cancer and some pre-cancerous polyps (growths in the colon or rectum that can turn into cancer over time). When colon cancer is found and treated early, the chances of successful treatment are better.
Learn More
Colorectal Cancer Screening

Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT)

FIT is a safe and painless stool-based test used for screening people at average risk of developing colorectal cancer. FIT checks for the presence of occult blood in the stool, which can be an early sign of colorectal cancer and/or pre-cancerous lesions. When colorectal cancer is found and treated early, the chances of successful treatment are better. Healthcare providers should fax the FIT requisition to 1-833-676-1427
Learn More
(Omega 3 Score)

Omega-3 Fatty Acid

The Omega 3 ScoreTM Test quantifies the fatty acids present in a sample of a patient’s whole blood. Specific levels of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, specifically Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the blood have been associated with a lower risk of sudden death from cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Learn More
Helping Naturopathic Doctors Gain a Better View of the Health Status of their Patients

Patient Assessment Panels

Patient Assessment Panels enable you to provide your Naturopathic Doctor with a complete picture of your health. Now you can access the blood work required to make informed decisions on how to be your healthiest you!
1. Convenient
2. Comprehensive
3. Cost-effective
Learn More
Personalized Risk Assessment of Prostate Cancer

SelectMDx Testing

Learning you have elevated PSA can be alarming news, but elevated PSA does not mean you have clinically significant disease and require a biopsy or treatment. SelectMDx is a novel decision support tool and provides your urologist with additional important information on the likelihood of finding aggressive cancer upon biopsy.
Learn More
Fecal Calprotectin Testing

Differentiating Between
IBS and IBD

Canada has one of the highest incidence and prevalence rates of inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome in the world. With symptoms of these two conditions appearing similar, Fecal Calprotectin testing can provide an accurate diagnosis in many patients with chronic diarrhea without the need of doing invasive diagnostic procedures.
Learn More
QuantiFERON®-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus)

QUANTIFERON-TB GOLD Plus (FOR TB SCREENING)

QuantiFERON®-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) is a simple blood test that aids in the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria which causes tuberculosis (TB). Like its predecessor, QFT-Plus is an interferon gamma release assay, commonly known as an IGRA, and is a modern alternative to the tuberculin skin test (TST). Unlike the TST, QFT-Plus is a controlled laboratory test that requires only one patient visit and works on patients who have previously been vaccinated against TB with the Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination.
Learn More
Know Your Risk for Heart Attacks

PULS (Protein Unstable Lesion Signature Test) Cardiac Test™

The second leading cause of death among Canadians, heart attacks are often a silent killer with no signs or symptoms before they strike. Often resulting from coronary heart disease, heart attacks can be predicted and even prevented if you know and manage your risk.
Learn More
Early Detection of Prostate Cancer

Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Test

One in seven men in Canada will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. The third leading cause of cancer death, when prostate cancer is detected early, the more likely it can be successfully treated.
Learn More
Determine your risk of bone fractures

Osteoporosis

Known as the “silent thief”, osteoporosis is responsible for the loss of bone mass without obvious symptoms until a bone is broken. By knowing your risk through a Serum CTX Test, you can prevent, delay or reduce bone loss.
Learn More
Early Detection of Cervical Cancer

HPV Testing

About 75% of sexually active women will get a least one HPV infection in their lifetime. With HPV the primary cause of cervical cancer, the HPV test detects the presence of high-risk HPV strain(s).
Learn More
Detecting Rheumatoid Arthritis

Anti-CCP

The daily pain, stiffness and swelling of rheumatoid arthritis can go undiagnosed for months causing permanent damage to your body. Diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis at its earliest stages can prevent damage and improve long-term quality of life.
Learn More
Fertility Test

Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH)

With one in six couples across Canada experiencing difficulty in becoming pregnant, AMH levels can provide valuable insight into predicting a response for IVF treatment.
Learn More
Vitamin Levels

25-Hydroxy Vitamin D Test

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus and is essential
for proper growth and healthy teeth and bones throughout your life.
Learn More
General Diagnostic Tests

General Diagnostic Tests

View all tests
Genetics Tests

Genetic Tests

Learn More
Naturopathic Tests

Naturopathic Tests

Learn More
Page Banner

LifeLabs Comes to You!

Price

Only $60 for up to three people of your choice serviced at the same location and appointment time.

Services offered

Blood tests, ECG monitoring, Holter monitoring

Locations

Now serving all of Toronto and, select areas in York, Peel and Halton regions, Newmarket and more!
Find a location