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What Does It Mean To Have Raised ALT In A Test Report?

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Posted on Thu, 24 Mar 2022
Question: What does it mean is my ALT is raised, but all my other liver functions were normal including GGT.?

Here are my Liver Results:

ALT 38 IU/L
Albumin 40.6 g/l
Globulin 34.1g/l
ALP 62 IU/l
Bilrubin 4 uMOL/L
Gamma GT 15 U/L
Total Protein 74.7g/l

Thanks
doctor
Answered by Dr. Mahboob Ur Rahman (35 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
This looks to be normal, would advuse just to repeat the test after a month

Detailed Answer:

Hi,

Yours tests are showing slightly raised ALT. In patients who do not have any symptoms of liver injury like vomiting, pain in Right abdomen, yellow eyes etc., slightly raised ALT is mostly not serious.

ALT is is produced from liver and it increases in any disease damaging the liver .These includes viral hepatitis, or drugs or Alcohol or any liver disease. However in such cases the Alt is more higher but more importantly persistently high. That is if we repeat the test after a month the Alt would still be high , if we repeat the tests after 3 months it would still be high .In such cases where ALT is persistently high then we need to find out the causes that is damaging the liver.

On the other hand transient rise In Alt may not be very significant as this can happen with taking some drug, or sometimes even meal, or taking alcohol or sometimes other non significant problems. In such cases if we repeat the Alt after a month it would be normal.

The other tests are normal this is very re assuring. They have its own causes but mostly are raised when liver is damaged a lot. GgT is mostly raised in alcohol induced liver injury. While alk phosphatase has lot of causes liver and other then liver. It's beyond the scope of this discussion but importantly it's normal. The normal proteins and albumin indicated that the liver is working pretty well and is not damaged or failed. These worsens when liver fails.

Now what's should we do? you should just check viral seralogy like HBC and HBV (though even this may not be needed if no risks) if negative, be relax and repeat the test in 3 month if still high, they we would be hunting for any causes of liver injury. But I am hopeful this is not very high and would be normal the next time.

Hope I have answered your question. please feel free to ask anything in this regard.
Regards,
Dr. Rahman
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Mahboob Ur Rahman (56 minutes later)
Hi Thanks very much for this reassuring review and detailed information, I do like alcohol and I was drinking every day before I opened this account but I have now added in some alcohol free days each week in efforts to cut down, my MCV was also elevated which is why I got this test done, giving me borderline Anaemia, my doctor suggested I repeat in 3-6 months and was not concerned, however this LFT test I got done that revealed the ALT was carried out independently as I was worried. Thankfully the other items are normal and I also have an extremely good diet, I eat minimal processed goods, no pig meats, rarely eat red meat, but I eat oily fish & lean chicken with lots of green vegetables, minimal sugar, low GI carbs and mostly liver cleaning foods, and detoxing drinks such as lemon water, with ginger & turmeric 5 days a week, I also take milk thistle daily and B Vitamins and all my vitamin levels were A1 perfect including Iron/B6/B12, so I envisaged just cutting the alcohol down a bit was the problem maybe, I know that when I sent the blood sample off I had quite a heavy weekend so will continue with the alcohol cut down and retest before Christmas as suggested. Thanks
doctor
Answered by Dr. Mahboob Ur Rahman (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Yes if Alt is raised ; cutting on alcohol is great thing to do

Detailed Answer:

Hi,

The news that you are cutting down on alcohol is great. Alcohol is the commonest causes of liver diseases in the world. So in relation to a raised ALT this is necessary to cut it down. No hurry; take your time to get rid of it or at least reduce it to a minimum level. Though it has not hurt your liver (that's the good thing) but in the long run it may do harm it so it's important to get rid of it.

Enjoy a healthy life.
Wish you a brilliant health. I would be very happy to answer if you have any question in your mind. Please don't hesitate to ask.
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Mahboob Ur Rahman

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2012

Answered : 2305 Questions

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What Does It Mean To Have Raised ALT In A Test Report?

Brief Answer: This looks to be normal, would advuse just to repeat the test after a month Detailed Answer: Hi, Yours tests are showing slightly raised ALT. In patients who do not have any symptoms of liver injury like vomiting, pain in Right abdomen, yellow eyes etc., slightly raised ALT is mostly not serious. ALT is is produced from liver and it increases in any disease damaging the liver .These includes viral hepatitis, or drugs or Alcohol or any liver disease. However in such cases the Alt is more higher but more importantly persistently high. That is if we repeat the test after a month the Alt would still be high , if we repeat the tests after 3 months it would still be high .In such cases where ALT is persistently high then we need to find out the causes that is damaging the liver. On the other hand transient rise In Alt may not be very significant as this can happen with taking some drug, or sometimes even meal, or taking alcohol or sometimes other non significant problems. In such cases if we repeat the Alt after a month it would be normal. The other tests are normal this is very re assuring. They have its own causes but mostly are raised when liver is damaged a lot. GgT is mostly raised in alcohol induced liver injury. While alk phosphatase has lot of causes liver and other then liver. It's beyond the scope of this discussion but importantly it's normal. The normal proteins and albumin indicated that the liver is working pretty well and is not damaged or failed. These worsens when liver fails. Now what's should we do? you should just check viral seralogy like HBC and HBV (though even this may not be needed if no risks) if negative, be relax and repeat the test in 3 month if still high, they we would be hunting for any causes of liver injury. But I am hopeful this is not very high and would be normal the next time. Hope I have answered your question. please feel free to ask anything in this regard. Regards, Dr. Rahman