Elevated liver enzymes can be caused by various factors including diet, exercise, alcohol consumption, and disease. The significance depends on overall health and how far out of range the levels are. Common causes include muscle strain, medication, and health conditions such as obesity and high blood triglyceride levels. A detailed medical history is needed to determine the cause and treatment.
Elevated liver enzymes can be caused by many different factors, including a high-fat, high-protein diet; weight gain; change exercise levels; alcohol consumption; disease, including liver disease; and other physiological and environmental causes. Its significance depends both on the overall health of the individual and how exactly out of range the enzyme levels are. It is not uncommon for a person to have higher than normal liver enzymes that occur for short periods of time, as the liver is the body’s main organ that processes toxins and medications, and the digestive enzymes that break down protein come from the liver .
The liver enzymes most frequently tested for health problems are alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST). When the AST enzyme level is higher, it can be indicative of alcoholic liver disease. When ALT is higher, there is a more general look at possible causes and healthy liver function. If elevated liver enzymes are marginally outside the standard ranges, they are considered something that warrants further medical testing and do not necessarily indicate that liver damage already exists.
The standard ranges in medicine for both ALT and AST levels are 7 to 56 serum units per liter for ALT and 5 to 40 serum units per liter for AST, with serum defined as the liquid component of blood. Blood tests for liver function and a repeat elevated liver enzyme test should only be interpreted on medical advice. These tests are just a snapshot over time of what the liver enzyme levels were when the blood sample was taken. Someone with an ALT of 250 isn’t necessarily in much worse shape than someone with an ALT of 50. In fact, a patient with viral hepatitis can temporarily have enzyme levels in the thousands of units and recover unharmed thereafter. to the liver.
One of the most common reasons for elevated liver enzymes is muscle strain. When someone performs tasks that require effort that is not part of a routine, muscle tissue is broken down and reformed in the body. With this increase in the level of protein in the blood, the levels of enzymes increase to process it. Bodybuilders and others who have fluctuating routines that involve muscle strains may regularly see ALT and AST levels 10 points or more above the standard average.
There are other common reasons for elevated liver enzymes. Some include taking medications such as aspirin, antidepressants and pain relievers. The onset of poor health conditions such as pre-diabetes, fatty liver caused by obesity, and high blood triglyceride levels which may indicate a high fat diet or an overweight condition, are also often a cause of elevated liver enzymes. Herbal supplements, cancer and gallstones are also other common causes. The fact is, elevated liver enzymes can be traced to many sources and a detailed look at an individual’s current activities and medical history is needed to narrow down the cause and adequately treat the condition.
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