Gliadin Intolerance?

[lotusdebi]

We just got the bloodwork results for my 6 year old. I don't really know how to read this paper, and I'll have to wait until next week to talk to his pediatrician.

It seems to say that his Gliadin IGG came back with a 21H, which is positive? His Celiac Disease panal came back with a 48 (in range) adn his Gliadin AB (IGA) came back <3 (negative?). There's also a Tissue Transglutaminase AB IGA that came back <3 which seems to be negative.

Can anyone talk to me about what all this means for my son?
Thank you!

[kjbrown92]

I don't know what those numbers mean, sorry. But on his ALCAT test, DS tested positive for gliadin but not gluten. Since I'm avoiding gluten and all types of gluten grains, I'm hoping that the stuff is gliadin free too.

[dannic]

I'm not sure either. DD's panel came back recently too. She isn't celiac, but her IGA was elevated for gluten. So for us, it's the same thing--no gluten. IGG would be intolerance to the gliadin, right? It looks like there is something going on there....

[Theloose]

Originally Posted by lotusdebi

We just got the bloodwork results for my 6 year old. I don't really know how to read this paper, and I'll have to wait until next week to talk to his pediatrician.

It seems to say that his Gliadin IGG came back with a 21H, which is positive? His Celiac Disease panal came back with a 48 (in range) adn his Gliadin AB (IGA) came back <3 (negative?). There's also a Tissue Transglutaminase AB IGA that came back <3 which seems to be negative.

Can anyone talk to me about what all this means for my son?
Thank you!

Gliadin IgG refers to a blood immune reaction to gliadin (a component of gluten. Basically, all gluten) I don't know what the number means without a range, though. Does the H mean 'high'?

Not knowing what the ranges are or being certain what the tests were for (like what is 48 measuring on a celiac disease panel?), my guess is you're looking at a non-celiac gluten intolerance. Which means you probably don't need to be worried about the autoimmune aspect of celiac disease, but since the IgG is positive, you'll probably do well to avoid all traces of gluten anyway. It might be helpful to get another IgG panel done on other foods, though, because it seems pretty rare for a kid to be sensitive to *just one* food.

[dannic]

Originally Posted by whoMe

Gliadin IgG refers to a blood immune reaction to gliadin (a component of gluten. Basically, all gluten) I don't know what the number means without a range, though. Does the H mean 'high'?

Not knowing what the ranges are or being certain what the tests were for (like what is 48 measuring on a celiac disease panel?), my guess is you're looking at a non-celiac gluten intolerance. Which means you probably don't need to be worried about the autoimmune aspect of celiac disease, but since the IgG is positive, you'll probably do well to avoid all traces of gluten anyway. It might be helpful to get another IgG panel done on other foods, though, because it seems pretty rare for a kid to be sensitive to *just one* food.

This is how DD is--gluten sensitivity without the autoimmune aspects. (Which was a relief). I hope you're able to figure it all out!

[lotusdebi]

Originally Posted by whoMe

Gliadin IgG refers to a blood immune reaction to gliadin (a component of gluten. Basically, all gluten) I don't know what the number means without a range, though. Does the H mean 'high'?

Not knowing what the ranges are or being certain what the tests were for (like what is 48 measuring on a celiac disease panel?), my guess is you're looking at a non-celiac gluten intolerance. Which means you probably don't need to be worried about the autoimmune aspect of celiac disease, but since the IgG is positive, you'll probably do well to avoid all traces of gluten anyway. It might be helpful to get another IgG panel done on other foods, though, because it seems pretty rare for a kid to be sensitive to *just one* food.

I don't have a clue what the H means.
The reference range for the Gliadin tests is:
<11 U/mL Negative
11-17 U/mL Equivocal
>17 U/mL Positive

The reference range for the Celiac IGA, Serum is 33-235 mg/ dL. It has the 48 for the IGA/ Serum in the In Range column. The <3 for the Gliadin AB (IGA) is also in the In Range column. Only the Gliadin AB IGG is in the Out of Range column.


When we were talking with the Developmental Pediatrician about the tests (these and others; she's doing a workup due to my son's recent autism diagnosis), she mentioned the possibility of using Digestive Enzymes rather than changing his diet. Any experience with that or thoughts about going in that direction?


Thank you all for your replies! This is all very new to me.

[Theloose]

Originally Posted by lotusdebi

When we were talking with the Developmental Pediatrician about the tests (these and others; she's doing a workup due to my son's recent autism diagnosis), she mentioned the possibility of using Digestive Enzymes rather than changing his diet. Any experience with that or thoughts about going in that direction?


Thank you all for your replies! This is all very new to me.

So then are you thinking about the GFCF diet for autism? The deal with that one is that gluten and casein can form opiods if they're not broken down properly in the stomach. Stomach acid (HCl) is important for that. One way you can check stomach acid is to eat beets. If they turn your pee pink, then you're low on HCl, and likely are deficient in zinc, since that's needed to make the HCL.
http://www.detoxpuzzle.com/hcl.php

That's my long way of saying, I'd try optimizing the stomach pH before using enzymes, but that's only based on theory rather than actual experience..

[lotusdebi]

The GFCF diet came up, but we'd prefer not to unless absolutely necessary, due to a number of reasons.

We got results for the Zinc test as well:

Zing, RBC is In Range at 12.2. The reference range is 9.0-14.7 mg/L

Does this mean that zinc deficiency isn't an issue?

If we're checking for a casein issue, we'll have to go outside of the insurance-compliant lab. The developmental ped says the lab our insurance covers doesn't do an adequate casein test.

Thanks for your response. I'll read the url after the kids are asleep. I appreciate all your help!

[Theloose]

Originally Posted by lotusdebi

The GFCF diet came up, but we'd prefer not to unless absolutely necessary, due to a number of reasons.

We got results for the Zinc test as well:

Zing, RBC is In Range at 12.2. The reference range is 9.0-14.7 mg/L

Does this mean that zinc deficiency isn't an issue?

If we're checking for a casein issue, we'll have to go outside of the insurance-compliant lab. The developmental ped says the lab our insurance covers doesn't do an adequate casein test.

Thanks for your response. I'll read the url after the kids are asleep. I appreciate all your help!

I really don't feel like I actually know what I'm talking about here, but it's interesting, so I'm posting

As far as I've seen, RBC is the right thing to test for zinc levels, but I don't have experience to know if it's actually accurate or not. If you wanted to do another zinc test, you can buy zinc sulfate and taste it - if it's tasteless, you're deficient.

If zinc really is fine, and he passes the beet test (no pink pee) then I bet GFCF won't make as huge a difference for him as it does for some (but that is just a bet). You can also poke around www.eatingcultures.com and see if there's anything there rings any bells.

[kjbrown92]

My osteopath said that the blood levels of zinc weren't that accurate an indicator.

I just don't understand how you can be sensitive to gliadin and not gluten since gliadin is a component of gluten, from what I understand. That's how my DS's test came back too and I didn't understand it then either.

[tanyalynn]

Originally Posted by whoMe

So then are you thinking about the GFCF diet for autism? The deal with that one is that gluten and casein can form opiods if they're not broken down properly in the stomach. Stomach acid (HCl) is important for that. One way you can check stomach acid is to eat beets. If they turn your pee pink, then you're low on HCl, and likely are deficient in zinc, since that's needed to make the HCL.
http://www.detoxpuzzle.com/hcl.php

That's my long way of saying, I'd try optimizing the stomach pH before using enzymes, but that's only based on theory rather than actual experience..

I think the gluten issue may be more nuanced than this. Thing is, truly, my digestion was okay before all this (OP: I have issues with gluten that are mercury-related, my amalgams have messed with me and my kids). I don't think I was low in stomach acid (at this point I know my digestion is weird, but that's chelation related), I didn't have gut dysbiosis symptoms, but gluten definitely affects me.

My personal guess is that our protection from gluten is many-layered, and that so many people have issues with gluten not because everything is broken, but that one part of their digestive process is poorly functioning and that allows the gluten to mess with them. I think we need good stomach acid and we need to make the correct digestive enzymes (the DPP-IV ones, which I'm guessing is the OP's doctor's suggestion) and then you still need some extra detoxification bandwidth to deal with the small amount of gluten that still gets through.

OP: I haven't tried digestive enzymes for any of us. I will note that cutting out gluten was only part of our issue, my son still had to get a lower level of circulating toxins before he showed any change from the lack of gluten (we're doing the usual assortment of vit/min supps), so whether you do digestive enzymes or diet changes or both, give it some time to see whether it's effective. For my son (14mo old at the time) it took 3 months of gfcf and vit/min supps to see a change.

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

My osteopath said that the blood levels of zinc weren't that accurate an indicator.

I just don't understand how you can be sensitive to gliadin and not gluten since gliadin is a component of gluten, from what I understand. That's how my DS's test came back too and I didn't understand it then either.

I think it's just that they're looking at the specific part of the gluten molecule, to see which half (or both) are a problem. Maybe some foods (oats?) are okay for people who react to only half of the gluten molecule but not the other. I haven't looked into the oats situation, but some people who are GF can tolerate GF oats and some cannot, and maybe which half of the gluten molecule people react to is part of that?

[dannic]

We went GF/CF when DD began exhibiting autistic behavior around 2 yrs old. (DH has an autistic sister, so we knew what we were looking for). It made all the difference in the world for her! It was so worth it! We got our daughter back. It may be a piece of the puzzle for you as well. (Not saying that all you'll have to do is go GF/CF--just saying it may well be worth it to try it for 3 mos or so and see what you get!)

Healing the New Childhood Epidemics, Bock, is a great book!

[kjbrown92]

Originally Posted by TanyaLopez

I think it's just that they're looking at the specific part of the gluten molecule, to see which half (or both) are a problem. Maybe some foods (oats?) are okay for people who react to only half of the gluten molecule but not the other. I haven't looked into the oats situation, but some people who are GF can tolerate GF oats and some cannot, and maybe which half of the gluten molecule people react to is part of that?

DS was positive for gliadin, negative for gluten, and positive for oats.
DD2 was negative for gliadin, positive for gluten, and positive to oats.
What does that tell us? Anything?

[tanyalynn]

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

DS was positive for gliadin, negative for gluten, and positive for oats.
DD2 was negative for gliadin, positive for gluten, and positive to oats.
What does that tell us? Anything?

And they didn't test glutenen, the other half of gluten? Weird, I am now officially confused.

And it'd still be nice to have oatmeal cookies.

[kjbrown92]

Our test definitely said gluten and gliadin, but that was ALCAT. Not IgG, so maybe they do things differently. Yes, oatmeal cookies would be nice, and regular granola, though the granola that I made the other day was pretty good.

[Theloose]

re the stomach acid thing, I'm thinking that having low stomach acid is what might predispose people to having opiod/addictive reactions to gluten and casein. It's definitely possible to react to them in a bazillion different ways, but in the autism community, aren't people mostly concerned about the opiod effects?

re gluten vs gliaden - it's possible to have corn gluten and rice gluten, but they have something else instead of gliadin. gliadin is the evil component. I don't know how to interpret that with your results, kathy, I'm being paged for dinner...

[dannic]

Oh, I was going to add that we used a few different types of enzymes (including Houston's) and while they were helpful in some ways, they didn't clear her behavioral issues--but they have been helpful with bloating, ect. We still use enzymes as I believe I passed down a shortage, but we also still have to keep off the reactive foods.

[tanyalynn]

Originally Posted by whoMe

re the stomach acid thing, I'm thinking that having low stomach acid is what might predispose people to having opiod/addictive reactions to gluten and casein. It's definitely possible to react to them in a bazillion different ways, but in the autism community, aren't people mostly concerned about the opiod effects?

But I thought it was the lack of my body making the DPP-IV digestive enzyme that's supposed to break apart casein and gluten that was causing the proteins to not be broken down, leak out, and then go to my head and do their opioid thing. I thought people were supposed to make that particular digestive enzyme (everybody was supposed to make it) and for me the mercury interfered with that ability.

[dannic]

Tanya, I believe that is totally possible. I've also read that for some reason supping enzymes just don't makd much of a difference on that specific process--and for us it was true.

[Theloose]

Originally Posted by TanyaLopez

But I thought it was the lack of my body making the DPP-IV digestive enzyme that's supposed to break apart casein and gluten that was causing the proteins to not be broken down, leak out, and then go to my head and do their opioid thing. I thought people were supposed to make that particular digestive enzyme (everybody was supposed to make it) and for me the mercury interfered with that ability.

You could easily be right - I haven't read up on that enzyme. At the same time, I bet stomach acid has a lot to do with it, and I don't know that people are actively looking at that angle. For example, they know that people sensitive to salicylates tend to be low in sulfate, but they're talking about epsom salts rather than molybdenum. I wonder if anyone's even looked at the stomach acid angle?