Question:
I recently
had blood work done and my ALT / AST levels are 375 / 266.
I fasted
before the test, but I had a very strenuous workout the morning before
the test.
What
do these incredibly high numbers mean for my liver?
Dave
Answer:
Dear
Dave,
In acute
liver injury, such as viral hepatitis, the ALT and AST may be as high
as 1000 U/L.
Alanine
aminotranferease (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) are enzymes
located in liver cells.
The normal
range of values for AST (SGOT) is from 5 to 40 units per liter of
serum (the liquid part of the blood).
The normal
range of values for ALT (SGPT) is from 7 to 56 units per liter of
serum.
In chronic
hepatitis or cirrhosis of the liver, ALT and AST may be 10 to 100
times their normal values.
It must
be emphasized that higher-than-normal levels of these liver enzymes
should not be automatically equated with liver disease.
They
may mean liver problems or they may not. For example, elevations of
these enzymes can occur with muscle damage.
In one
study researchers found more muscle damage three days after a strenuous
workout than they had found one hour after exercise ceased.
The
exact levels of AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) cannot be used to determine
the degree of liver disease.
It is,
therefore, worth mentioning that these liver enzymes do not give an
indication of the function of the liver.
You can
see more information related to your questions at:
Heavy
exercise can cause an elevation in ALT.
