Understanding Your Lab Tests: Antinuclear Antibody Test (ANA) and Autoimmunity

In conventional medicine, the Antinuclear Antibody Test (also known as ANA) is typically used as a diagnostic test to determine whether or not someone has an autoimmune condition like lupus ^[1] .

In functional medicine and at Knew Health , we use this test proactively to help us identify the presence of immune system dysregulation and trends toward autoimmunity.

In today's article, we'll look at the specific wellness challenges that the Antinuclear Antibody Test can help us detect and how to optimize your levels and (ideally) support your body's natural healing abilities.

It's important to understand that this test does not diagnose autoimmune conditions (and it's not the only autoimmune marker), but rather it acts as a general, predictive test—giving us clues into your body's level of inflammation, immune system stability and whether you're trending toward a possible future challenge.

Knew Health Members receive an Antinuclear Antibody Test as part of their initial blood work.

Ideally you want a negative ANA Test, meaning no (or very little) antibodies in your blood.

A positive ANA test means that the body's immune system is releasing antibodies to attack its own cellular nucleus material: the definition of an autoimmune dynamic.

If your results do come back positive, please know you're not alone—we're here to support you.

Remember, this is a predictive test—not a diagnostic test. Therefore a positive result may simply indicate a trend toward a chronic condition and not a full-blown condition.

Contrary to common myth, we all have low levels of autoimmune activity happening all the time.

It's a key part of the body's innate checks-and-balances in keeping a strong and aggressive but also well-regulated immune system.

But a sustained antibody response to human cell nuclear material is notable. A positive result on this marker can give us precious clues into how your body is dealing with immune threats and inflammation, which will help your Knew Health Coach recommend an effective course of action to get your numbers back in the negative.

What can cause a positive ANA?

Since the ANA Test measures inflammation, the causal factors can be vast.

For example, excess inflammation can be caused by a pre-existing condition such as Leaky Gut Syndrome, a dietary sensitivity, environmental toxins, allergens, stress, lack of sleep and a variety of other factors.

Fortunately, functional medicine practitioners are experts in identifying the root cause (or causes) of inflammation.

Despite the range of possible causes, there is one sneaky root cause which is commonly connected to excess inflammation: gluten sensitivity.

Yes. Even if you don't have a full-blown autoimmune condition or gluten allergy , this protein can wreak havoc on your body's inflammatory levels.

Gluten is commonly found in wheat, spelt, einkorn, kamut, bulgur and other grains. Common sources of gluten include:

• Breads
• Cereals
• Processed foods
• Baked goods
• Pastas
• Cous cous
• Breakfast foods
• Energy bars
• Canned soups

Gluten-free grains include:

• Gluten-free oats
• Rice
• Millet
• Quinoa
• Amaranth

As a first step, your Health Coach will likely advise an elimination diet.

The specific diet will vary person to person based on your wellness journey and history, and may include eliminating gluten along with other common trigger foods such as: dairy, soy, eggs, sugar and corn.

If a gut health challenge is suspected or confirmed, your Health Coach may also recommend you eat more cultured foods like yogurt, kim chi, sauerkraut and kombucha in addition to the elimination diet.

Supplementation with a high-quality probiotic, digestive enzymes and specific herbs like deglycerized licorice can also be helpful in supporting gut wellness.

In some cases, high levels or persistent autoimmune markers are present despite a functional medicine lifestyle approach. If that is the case, rest assured your Knew Health Coach may refer you to a functional medicine doctor in our network to dig deeper into root causes.

Other dietary and lifestyle measures to support your body's natural anti-inflammatory response may include:

• Increasing your intake of vegetables and other anti-inflammatory foods —especially leafy greens, moderate amounts of fruit, grass-fed meats, wild-caught fish, healthy fats and moderate amounts of gluten-free grains
• Including more essential fatty acids and omega 3s in your diet —either from a high-quality fish oil supplement or wild-caught salmon, sardines and other fatty fish
• Practicing stress-management techniques —such as meditation, daily exercise, laughing, listening to music and yoga
• Getting enough quality sleep —a lack of sleep (less than 7.5-9 hours a night) can really do a number on your inflammatory levels and gut health
• Balancing your exercise and movement —too little or too much exercise can cause inflammation. Ideally you want to aim for 20-30 minutes of exercise that challenges your muscles, without overdoing it

This depends on your test results.

If you're in the negative, an annual ANA test is usually sufficient.

However, if your numbers are positive or very high, your Health Coach may recommend re-testing in as little as 2-3 months, or less.

With all the information about inflammation and chronic condition risk in the news, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. But you don't have to navigate this alone—our Community is here to support you every step of the way.

Thankfully, simple, accurate tests like the ANA exist and make it fairly easy to keep up on your inflammatory markers and risks.

It's predictive medicine at its finest…and it doesn't have to be expensive either. As a Member of our Medical Cost Sharing Community, you have access to affordable wellness support that puts you in control of your health journey.

To your good health!

-The Knew Health Team