Gluten Intolerance and its symptoms
Gluten is a protein. It’s naturally found in wheat and other grains. A lot of foods contain grain and thus gluten, such as pasta, cereal and beer, but also vitamins and cosmetics. Gluten acts like a binder to hold food together. For example, without gluten the dough of a pizza would easily rip. Most people react well to gluten as it can be beneficial to the good bacteria in your gut. However, there are people who experience serious side effects after eating gluten. They have gluten intolerance.
When you have gluten intolerance, you might feel sick after eating a product containing gluten. Gluten intolerance is one the most prominent autoimmune diseases. About 1% of the world population suffers from it.
Common symptoms
The most common symptoms of gluten intolerance and celiac disease include:
- Diarrhoea or constipation
- Difficulty gaining weight
- Fatigue
- Joint pain
- Infertility
- Flatulence
- Nausea
- Skin problems, such as rash
- Headache
Gluten intolerance can also cause mental problems such as:
- Anxiety
- Concentration problems
- Depression
Studies have also found a link between celiac disease and infertility and changes in the menstrual cycle in women.
Gluten intolerance and celiac disease: what is the difference?
Gluten intolerance is very similar to celiac disease or wheat allergy. People with gluten sensitivity and celiac disease both suffer from similar symptoms. There is however, an important distinction. Celiac disease is when the body treats gluten as if it were a virus, so it tries to fight it. This reaction causes damage to the digestive tracts. Celiac disease is caused by an abnormal gene, which is not something people with gluten sensitivity have.
People who are sensitive or intolerant to gluten do not necessarily have to stick to a strict diet that’s 100% free of gluten. However, people with celiac disease will have to avoid gluten in every possible way, because even the smallest amount of gluten will harm them in the long run.
FAQ
Who should take the Gluten Intolerance Test?
If you suspect a possible gluten hypersensitivity, it may be a good idea to test yourself for this so that you know if you need to exclude gluten in your diet. It is important to bear in mind that there is a difference between our Gluten intolerance test, Food intolerance test and Allergy test. If you choose to carry out all these three tests, you can, for example, get a positive result on wheat for allergies or food intolerance, but be told that you are not gluten intolerant. If you get the answer that you are not gluten intolerant, you can thus still be sensitive to wheat as there are different types of diseases and reactions, as well as different things in wheat that you react to. For those of you who experience many different problems or symptoms, we recommend that you combine the gluten intolerance test with the Allergy test or Food intolerance test 80 items that also measures a milder form of gluten sensitivity.
Who gets gluten intolerance?
The reality is that anyone can become sensitive to gluten at any age, at any time. Research indicates that the older you get, the higher the risk you could develop a sensitivity to gluten.
How to test for gluten intolerance?
You can get your own gluten intolerance test from us, delivered to you and ready to use at home. If you experience many different symptoms and want more comprehensive results, we recommend you combine the gluten intolerance test with the Allergy test or Food intolerance test 80 items that also measures a milder form of gluten sensitivity.
How long does it take to get the results?
As soon as the samples have arrived, they will immediately be tested at the lab, so you can expect the test results should be back to you within a week.
How does the Gluten Intolerance Test work?
The test is a so-called capillary blood sample, which means that you need to take a small stick in your finger and squeeze out some blood that you collect in a test tube. The sample is sent to our lab for analysis and your test result comes digitally when the lab has analysed your sample.
Why test for gluten intolerance?
Besides reducing the uncomfortable symptoms aforementioned that are caused by gluten intolerance, detecting gluten intolerance in an early stage will reduce the damage to the digestive tracts and prevent any serious complications.
When should I take the gluten intolerance test?
It is recommended to follow a diet containing lots of gluten when you take the est. This way, the effects of gluten can be well assessed. If you haven’t had any gluten, there won’t be any anti-tTG in your blood, which is necessary for an accurate test result. You should start eating gluten two to four weeks before taking the test. As little as 3 grams of gluten per day will suffice.
How do you treat gluten intolerance?
There is not a cure for gluten intolerance, so the best option for those suffering from it, is to make changes to their diet. You may want to consider a gluten-free diet. Another option is to eat products containing probiotics, since probiotics can help increase the good bacteria in the gut and reduce symptoms such as flatulence. We recommended getting into contact with a dietician or nutritionist who can help you set up a diet.
Gluten-free diet or wheat-free diet?
A person who is gluten intolerant can eat gluten-free products, while a person who reacts to wheat should exclude all products that contain wheat. Gluten-free products may contain parts of wheat that a gluten intolerant person can tolerate, but someone suffering from wheat allergy would not be able to tolerate. A lab test makes sure you don’t exclude any food you are not hypersensitive to.
Does a gluten-free diet have health risks?
The biggest issue with a gluten-free diet is that you may get a fiver deficiency or you might develop Type 2 diabetes. It’s also important to note that gluten-free foods may not necessarily be healthy. They may contain unhealthy ingredients such as sodium, sugar and fat, which could lead to weight gain and cause high blood pressure. Set up a healthy diet with your dietician to make sure you are eating the right foods.
Should I still avoid gluten even if it turns out I am not gluten intolerant?
The short answer is no. There are many valuable nutrients to be found in products containing gluten. If you are still worried about your health, it is recommended to eat more healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole-grains. People who do not suffer from gluten intolerance may just need a different change of diet to feel better, and so they don’t need to remove gluten.
What are some healthy gluten-free foods I can eat?
You may lose some nutrients when you cut down on the gluten, but luckily there are many healthy alternatives, so going gluten-free may not be as bad as you might think. We recommend fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh meat , seafood, beans, dairy products and healthy fats and nuts and seeds. Rice (in its natural form) is also gluten-free. This included all different types of rice, like brown rice, white rice, wild rice, even sticky rice.
Refunds and returns
General Terms and Conditions
GetTested offers a wide range of health analyzes to individuals and companies. We collaborate with a number of subcontractors of medical laboratory operations for analysis of the samples.
To order our analyzes, you must be at least 18 years old, people under the age of 18 need a parent’s permit.
GetTested is not a substitute for traditional healthcare. In case of any problems, you should always contact healthcare.
When you place your order, you accept our terms of purchase.
Test results
You will receive your test result digitally via the login you created when you registered your test. The response time varies for different analyzes, information on how long the response time your analysis takes can be found on the product page. You as a customer are responsible for registering your unique test ID in order to receive your analysis answer. Your analysis answers are sent encrypted with ID verification for maximum security.
Shipping and delivery terms
Shipping will be added with £ 4.
Our products are sent to the address you specified when ordering. You as a customer are responsible for providing correct address information when ordering. If you have not received your delivery within 10 working days, please contact us at hello@gettested.co.uk and we will help you.
Prices and Payment
All prices are stated in GBP including VAT.
Payment is made by card payment via the payment provider Stripe, which accepts VISA, Mastercard or AMEX.
Right of withdrawal
You as a customer have a 14-day right of withdrawal. The withdrawal period begins to apply on the day you received your goods. The right of withdrawal only applies to analyzes that have not been sent to the laboratory for analysis and where the test kit, including the pre-stamped envelope, has not been used. Contact hello@gettested.co.uk to exercise your right of withdrawal and further instructions. If you do not return everything in original condition, we reserve the right to deduct the amount of the refund to cover the fees for the material cost.
We ask you to follow the instructions carefully. If, contrary to expectation, you need more material to perform your test, you can buy it yourself in our online store. This is because we have pushed prices to the maximum so that you as a customer will receive the best offer on the market.
In the event of a right of withdrawal, we will refund you within 30 days from the day you received the item. Any shipping and return costs are borne by the customer and are not refunded.
If you as a customer have used your test kit and regret your purchase after that, we will charge a cost of £15 for the test kit and £4 for shipping (a total of £21) which is deducted from the total amount we refund you, this to cover the cost of the sample material.
Complaint
If the item you received is damaged or if you received the wrong item, please contact hello@gettested.co.uk as soon as possible and we will help you.
We ask you to follow the instructions carefully. Should you unexpectedly need more material to perform your test, please contact hello@gettested.co.uk.
In the event of a dispute, we follow the General Complaints Board’s recommendations.
Customer Integrity
The personal information you provide in connection with your purchase is stored so that we can fulfill our agreement on services or products towards you. According to the Personal Data Act, you have the right to access the information we have registered about you. Contact us at hello@gettested.co.uk if any information is incorrect and we will correct it or delete it.
If you have chosen to receive our newsletters, we will also process your personal data in order to send you information about our business.
Other
GetTested reserves the right to make any price changes and is not responsible for any errors that may be attributable to a laboratory used for sampling and analysis. GetTested reserves the right to make errors in the article information.
Before you start, you need to register your test. Your test kit contains a sticker with your unique test ID. Register your test ID at 
Wash your hands in hot water for about a minute. This will increase blood circulation in your fingers. Dry your hands. Doing a blood test without stimulating blood circulation might prove difficult, so please do not skip this step.
Disinfect your “test finger” with the supplied disinfectant paper. Wait a few seconds until the finger is completely dry.
Rotate the protective cover on the blood lancet to remove it. Use the extra lancet if you need to do another finger prick.
Place your hand on a flat surface. Put the lancet diagonally toward the test finger and press down the button. Make sure the lancet is pressed against the finger the whole time.
We recommend that you stand up at this stage to let the blood in your arm flow downward. Help the blood drops come out by massaging the finger toward the needle stick.
Transfer the blood drops into the test tube until the blood reaches the marked line. If it doesn’t reach the marked line, there won’t be enough blood for the lab to test. Please contact us if you have any trouble.
Place the sticker with your unique test ID on the test tube. Place the test tube inside the transport tube and seal.
Put the tubes in the enclosed envelope and send it to the lab the same day, preferably a Monday or Tuesday.
Mia Thomas –
Experienced frequent skin rashes. Took this test. The mystery is solved!
Jamal Stevens –
I’m all about that fitness life, and knowing what’s going inside my body is a big deal. Came across the Gluten Intolerance Test by GetTested and thought, “Why not?” The test process was straightforward, and the results? A game-changer! I’ve now adjusted my diet and it’s making a noticeable difference in my workouts and recovery. For those in the fitness realm, this might be a small tweak but can lead to big results. Cheers to healthier eating!
Tanya –
Used this test due to ongoing health concerns. The test was easy to use and I got the results promptly. They showed I’m intolerant to gluten, which explains a lot of my symptoms. Now, I can adjust my diet accordingly. 🙂
Emma White –
After dealing with constant nausea, I used this test. The process was simple, the results came back quickly. Gluten intolerance was the cause.
Sophia Jackson –
Quick results from this test revealed my intolerance to gluten.
Samuel Greene –
Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much. I’ve taken other home tests before and sometimes found the processes a bit cumbersome or the results too vague. But I was intrigued enough by my own symptoms to give this a shot. The kit arrived promptly, and it was packaged decently. No frills or fancy presentations, which I appreciated. The instructions were clear, which was a relief because I’ve faced some confusing kits in the past.
A week later, I got the results. Turns out, I have a mild gluten intolerance. It wasn’t a life-shattering discovery, but it provided an answer to the myriad of questions I had. The report was surprisingly detailed, covering not just the ‘what’ but also delving deep into the ‘why’ and ‘how’.
To be clear, this isn’t some miracle solution that will get rid of all ur issues. But it’s a tool, an informative one at that. Since getting my results, I’ve made some dietary tweaks. I still enjoy gluten occasionally, but I’m more aware, more informed. If you’re searching for some clarity on the whole gluten issue, I’d say this test offers a solid start.
Mike –
Navigating the world of food intolerances can be overwhelming. So, when I started to suspect gluten might be a problem for me, I decided to turn to GetTested’s Gluten Intolerance Test. The results? An eye-opener! The test was a revelation, not just because of the results but also because of the comprehensive information it provided. It’s been a week since I adjusted my diet based on the findings and I feel so much better. Highly recommend this for anyone looking for clarity on their gluten sensitivity.
Ethan Taylor –
Been having stomach issues, this test showed gluten intolerance.
Rajeev Patil –
nice and easy test and easy to understand results im glad i tried 😀
Felicity –
Having suspected a gluten intolerance for years but always postponing an official test, I decided to finally get the GetTested’s Gluten Intolerance Test. The entire experience, right from ordering to receiving the results, was absolutely seamless. The kit arrived on time and was packaged really well. The instructions provided were clear and easy to follow, even for someone who’s not very medical-savvy like me. Within a week, I received my results and, as suspected, I am intolerant to gluten. The detailed report provided not just the results but also gave me insights on how to adjust my diet and lifestyle. To anyone sitting on the fence about this, I’d say – go for it! It’s a small investment for a healthier future.
Isabel –
Ever since my college days, I’d felt this persistent tug of discomfort every time I indulged in my favorite sandwiches or pasta dishes. It was subtle at first – just an inkling that something wasn’t right. But over the years, it escalated to a point where I’d start predicting discomfort even before I finished my meal. It became my normal until a dear friend mentioned gluten intolerance. I scoffed initially, but the seed of curiosity was planted. Enter the Gluten Intolerance Test by GetTested. The convenience of doing the test at home appealed to me. I expected a complicated procedure, but I was pleasantly surprised. Everything was clearly laid out, and the step-by-step guide was incredibly user-friendly. What I truly appreciated, however, was the depth of information I received once my results were in. Not only was I gluten intolerant (an ‘Aha!’ moment in itself), but the detailed report also provided insight into the levels of my intolerance, as well as actionable advice on how to adjust my diet. Since adapting my food choices, the change in my overall wellbeing has been night and day. I’m ever so grateful to GetTested for bridging the gap between uncertainty and clarity. 🙂