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Coeliac Antibody Test
Tissue transglutaminase IgA (tTG IgA), the main antibody blood test used when coeliac disease is the question.
- Doctor-reviewed results
- Laboratory analysis
- 2 to 3 working days from lab receipt
- No fasting required

What’s included
1 marker measured
Tissue transglutaminase IgA
An antibody the immune system makes in coeliac disease when gluten is being eaten. The test is only reliable while gluten is still in your diet, so do not cut it out beforehand.
Overview
Coeliac disease is common, many people who have it have never been diagnosed, and this antibody is the first-line blood test for it in UK guidance. People come to it after long-running bloating, loose stools, tiredness or unexplained low iron, or because a close relative has been diagnosed and they know it runs in families.
In coeliac disease the immune system reacts to gluten and produces this antibody, so the level rises while gluten is being eaten. That is the catch worth knowing before you order: the test only works if you are still eating gluten regularly, and UK guidance asks for gluten in more than one meal a day for at least six weeks beforehand. A raised result is the start of a pathway rather than the end of one, and a doctor explains what usually happens next.
Who this is for and who it isn’t
Who it’s for
- Adults aged 18 and over
- Anyone still eating gluten with bloating, loose stools or unexplained low iron
- People with a parent, brother or sister who has coeliac disease
Who it isn’t for
- The single most important thing to know is that this test only works while you are still eating gluten. If you have already cut it out, the antibody falls and the result can look normal even in someone who has coeliac disease, so testing then tells you very little. UK guidance asks for gluten in more than one meal a day for at least six weeks first, and that is a plan to make with your GP.
- A small number of people do not make IgA antibodies at all, in which case this test reads low for a different reason and needs a different one. A raised result is the start of a pathway, and confirmation is normally a gut biopsy arranged by a specialist.
- Anyone with a new, severe or worsening symptom: contact your GP or call NHS 111. A test you buy today is not a substitute for being examined.
Common reasons people choose this test
- Bloating, wind or loose stools that keep coming back
- Tiredness alongside low iron or low folate
- Mouth ulcers or an itchy blistering rash
- A parent, brother or sister with coeliac disease
- Type 1 diabetes or an autoimmune thyroid condition
These are reasons people choose to test, not signs that something is wrong. A result is one part of a picture your doctor puts together with your history and an examination.
What your result looks like
Every result is shown with the unit and the reference range exactly as the laboratory reported it, with the doctor’s note underneath.
- Tissue transglutaminase IgA▲ High
- Result
- 42 U/mL
- Range
- <7
| Marker | Result | Units | Range | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tissue transglutaminase IgA | 42 | U/mL | <7 | ▲ High |
Doctor’s note (example)
Tissue transglutaminase IgA is well above the range, which is the pattern seen in coeliac disease. Keep eating gluten until you have been seen, because stopping first makes the next test harder to read; a clinician would usually refer you to a gastroenterologist.
Values above are examples. Your report shows your own results with the laboratory’s units and reference range for your age and sex, reviewed, signed and released by a GMC-registered doctor.
How it works
- Your kit arrivesPosted to your door, with instructions and what you need to send your sample back.
- You take your sampleFinger-prick sample at home, or a clinic blood draw, your choice
- The laboratory analyses itYour sample is processed for the measurements included in this test. Lab processing typically takes 2 to 3 working days from receipt of your sample.
- A doctor reviews and releases itA GMC-registered doctor reads every result and signs the report before it reaches you.
- Sample
- Home finger-prick kit
- Preparation
- No fasting required
- Who it's for
- Any sex · ages 18+
How to prepare
What we can and can’t tell you
The reference range beside each result is the laboratory’s own. A result in range is not a clean bill of health and a result outside it is not a diagnosis. Most ranges cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one range. No test result replaces an examination or your own doctor’s judgement, and none of these panels is a cancer screening programme.
Read the full note
The reference range printed beside each of your results is the laboratory's own, and it is the range that applies to your result. We do not apply a second range of our own, and we do not tell you that a result the laboratory reported as normal is nonetheless too low or too high. If you see a claim elsewhere that your result ought to sit inside a narrower band than the one the laboratory printed, treat it with caution and ask your doctor.
Some assays cannot give an exact figure above or below a certain point, and those results are reported the way the laboratory sends them, for example as a value greater than a stated number. A result in range is not a clean bill of health, and a result outside a range is not a diagnosis: most reference ranges are set to cover about 95% of healthy people, so some healthy people fall just outside them. No blood test replaces an examination, a scan or your own doctor's judgement, and none of these panels is a screening programme for cancer.
If you have a symptom that is new, severe, or getting worse, contact your GP or NHS 111 rather than waiting for a test result. In an emergency call 999.
Frequently asked questions
I have already stopped eating gluten. Can I still test?
You can, but the result would be hard to interpret and a normal one would not mean much. UK guidance is to be eating gluten regularly for at least six weeks beforehand. Talk to your GP before restarting gluten, particularly if it made you unwell.
Is this the same as a gluten intolerance test?
No. This measures the antibody involved in coeliac disease, which is an immune condition affecting the gut lining. Non-coeliac gluten sensitivity produces no antibody and there is no blood test for it.
What happens if it comes back raised?
The reviewing doctor explains the result and what usually follows, which is a GP referral to a gastroenterologist. Keep eating gluten until you have spoken to them, because stopping first can make the next test harder to interpret.
Does the test cover IgA deficiency?
Not fully. Selective IgA deficiency is more common in people with coeliac disease, and when it is present this test can read normal even though coeliac disease is there. UK guidance is to measure total IgA alongside this test. If your result is unexpectedly low, the doctor's note explains this and what a GP would usually check next.
How long do results take?
The laboratory typically takes 2 to 3 working days from receiving your sample. This does not include kit delivery, sample collection or return postage. A doctor reviews your results before they are released.
Can I choose a home kit or a clinic?
Both, it is your choice at checkout. Either collect a finger-prick sample at home with the posted kit and send it back as the instructions explain, or book a clinic appointment and have a trained clinician take the sample for you.
Is a doctor involved?
Yes. Every result is reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor who signs it off and explains what it means and what to do next.
Is it confidential?
Your results are available through your secure patient portal. Our privacy policy explains how your information is handled and when it may be shared to provide your care.
What happens to my sample and results?
Your sample is analysed at a UKAS-accredited laboratory (ISO 15189). A GMC-registered doctor then reads every result and signs the report before it is released, so nothing reaches you unreviewed. There is no option to receive results without a doctor reading them first. The report arrives in your secure portal in plain English: each result with its unit and the laboratory's own reference range, and the doctor's note on what the set means read together. If a result sits outside its range the report says so and explains what usually happens next, which is most often a conversation with your own GP, who can act on it alongside your history and examination. Most reference ranges are set to cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one of them. On a report with many results it is common for one to sit just outside its range, and a single number on its own rarely tells the whole story. If a result needs urgent attention, the reviewing doctor is alerted straight away and we contact you by phone the same working day rather than leaving it in the portal for you to find. If a specific result needs rechecking, the reviewing doctor says so in your report.
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