Introducing genetic testing for coeliac disease and primary lactose intolerance   

Following the successful launch of our home STI testing earlier this year (2022), we are delighted to announce a further extension to our suite of health tests, with the introduction of Genetic Coeliac Disease Testing and Genetic Lactose Intolerance Testing – direct from our award-winning UK laboratory.  

Our Genetic Coeliac Disease Test can tell you whether you have the genes linked to coeliac disease, while our Genetic Lactose Intolerance Test can tell you whether you have the MCM6 gene variations that indicate primary lactose intolerance. 

Each test costs just £99, with only cheek swab samples required, and results available in 4-5 days.

There are many reasons why you might want a genetic test for coeliac disease or primary lactose intolerance, including:

• You are experiencing symptoms associated with these conditions
• You have first-degree relatives (e.g. parents, siblings) that have been diagnosed with coeliac disease or primary lactose intolerance, as both can run in families, or
• You simply want to check up on your health

Whatever your reasons, a Genetic Coeliac Disease Test or Genetic Lactose Intolerance Test can give you peace of mind or enable you to seek the correct diagnosis more quickly.  

Our non-invasive test kits have been specifically designed to enable you to collect your samples quickly and easily at home, before returning them to our state-of-the-art laboratory. 

All testing is also performed in-house at our UK facilities, by our expert geneticists – so your samples will never be sent abroad.

What is coeliac disease and genetic coeliac disease testing?

For £99, our Genetic Coeliac Disease Test can tell you whether you carry the HLA-DQ2 and/or HLA-DQ8 genes linked to coeliac disease, with only cheek swabs required.

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease that develops over time because of a sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in certain cereal grains including wheat, rye, and barley, and commonly used in food products such as bread, cereal, and pasta.

When a person with coeliac disease eats gluten, this causes the body’s immune system to attack its own tissue, damaging the gut lining and preventing the body from adequately absorbing nutrients from food.

The disease runs in families and can start at any age, with adults aged between 50 and 70 being the most diagnosed. Women are also three times more likely to develop the disease than men.

If left undiagnosed or untreated, coeliac disease can can lead to severe complications including osteoporosis, anaemia, certain neurological diseases (affecting the brain and nerves) and, in rare cases, intestinal lymphoma and bowel cancer.

The fact that coeliac disease can worsen over time, causing long-term health complications, makes early diagnosis crucial. While there is no treatment for the condition, if diagnosed early, it can be easily managed by adhering to a lifelong gluten-free diet.

Our Genetic Coeliac Disease Test uses Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) typing to confirm or rule out the potential of developing coeliac disease by analysing six DNA markers for the HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8 genes.

If you have one or both genes, this means that you could be at risk of developing coeliac disease in the future. These results can then be shared with your doctor for further advice, guidance, and confirmatory testing, to help you get a full diagnosis more quickly.

If neither genes are present, this means that you are unlikely to develop coeliac disease.

What is primary lactose intolerance and genetic lactose intolerance testing?

For £99, our Genetic Lactose Intolerance Test can tell you whether you have the MCM6 gene variations that indicate primary lactose intolerance, with only cheek swab samples required.

Lactose is a sugar composed of galactose and glucose and is mainly found in dairy products such as milk.

Lactose intolerance is a common digestive issue where the body fails to produce enough of the lactase enzyme, which is required to break down lactose in the body. 

Most mammals are born with the ability to digest lactose because it is the sugar found in mammalian breast milk. However, for those who are lactose intolerant, the body produces little to no lactase, meaning that this sugar remains intact and is fermented by bacteria in the colon, leading to uncomfortable symptoms (e.g. bloating, flatulence, nausea, diarrhoea, stomach cramps/pains).

There are four types of lactose intolerance: primary lactose intolerance (the kind we test for at AlphaBiolabs), secondary lactose intolerance, developmental lactose intolerance and congenital lactose intolerance.

Primary lactose intolerance is hereditary and can be passed down to children if they receive two copies of the recessive ‘lactase non-persistence’ alleles from their parents.

This makes genetic testing a helpful tool for anyone experiencing symptoms that could indicate primary lactose intolerance, or for people who have a first-degree relative that has been diagnosed with the condition (parent, sibling, child).

Our Genetic Lactose Intolerance Test looks for changes (mutations or variations) at specific locations of the MCM6 gene which helps to regulate the gene that produces the lactase enzyme – the enzyme needed to break down lactose.

The results of our Genetic Lactose Intolerance Test will tell you whether MCM6 gene variations are present within your sample, indicating that you have primary lactose intolerance.

These results can then be shared with your doctor for further advice, confirmatory testing, and treatment.

If the MCM6 gene variations are absent, it is unlikely that you have primary lactose intolerance.

Where can I buy a lactose intolerance test or a coeliac disease test?

It’s easy to order your Genetic Coeliac Disease Test or Genetic Lactose Intolerance Test online now, from our award-winning, accredited laboratory.

Available for just £99 per test, simply order the home test kit you need, and we will ship it out to you immediately in discreet, plain packaging, for complete confidentiality.

Once you receive your kit, follow the instructions provided to collect your cheek swab samples, and return them to our laboratory.

You will receive your confidential test results by email in 4-5 working days.  

Need advice on whether these tests are right for you? Call our friendly and knowledgeable Customer Services team on 0333 600 1300 or email health@alphabiolabs.com for more information.