Liver Function Tests Normal Low and High Ranges and Results

• Dr Mukesh Kumar Singh

Liver Function Tests (Normal, Low, and High Ranges & Results)

What are the primary liver's functions?

The liver is located in the right upper part of the abdomen cavity under the ribcage. The liver performs many roles that are vital to the human body. In brief, the essential tasks performed by the liver include:

• The process of detoxification of blood

• The production of important factors for clotting, albumin as well as numerous other important proteins

• Metabolizing (processing) drugs and other nutrients

• The process of removing waste products from haemoglobin and other cells

• Storage from vitamins cholesterol, fats cholesterol, and the bile

• The production of glucose (gluconeogenesis or glucose synthesis/release in hunger)

What are the most common tests for liver blood flow?

The tests for blood in the liver are among the most frequently performed blood tests. They can be utilized to evaluate liver function or determine if there is a liver injury. In normal conditions, they are mostly found in the tissues of the liver. However, when the liver is damaged for reasons of any kind, the enzymes spill into the bloodstream. Enzymes are proteins all over the body, and each has specific functions. Enzymes aid in speeding the speed of (catalyze) regular and important chemical reactions within the body.

One of the most sensitive and frequently utilized livers enzymes are aminotransferases. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST or SGOT) and aminotransferase alanine (ALT and SGPT). These enzymes are usually located in liver cells and within muscle cells to a lesser extent. If the liver becomes damaged or injured, it releases these enzymes into the bloodstream, increasing the levels of ALT and AST enzymes in blood levels and the signalling of the liver to heal.

Other blood tests that pertain to the liver are tests of the various liver-related enzymes. The focus of this article will be mostly on the most well-known liver enzymes, AST and ALT.

Liver Disease Symptoms

The liver serves multiple purposes. It is the source of many chemical substances needed by the body to function properly. It eliminates and detoxifies the substances within the body and functions as a storage facility. If the liver damages it due to illness, medications, alcohol or any other cause. A person could suffer from liver-related symptoms like

• nausea and vomiting

• jaundice (yellowing of the skin),

• fatigue,

• weakness,

• breathlessness,

• bleeding or excessive bruising and

• Leg swelling.

What are the aminotransferase-related enzymes (ALT, the AST)?

• The aminotransferase enzymes trigger chemical reactions where an amino group of an amino acid (amino acids are the basic building components of proteins) transfer from one donor to a recipient molecule thus, the name "aminotransferases."

• Medical terms are sometimes unclear, as with enzymes since they come with interchangeable names often found in medical and non-medical literature. For instance:

  • A different name for aminotransferase is transaminase.

  • The aminotransferase enzyme aspartate (AST) can also be called serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT).

  • Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is also known as serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT).

• To summarize, AST is SGOT. The other is ALT. Both are the enzymes made by the liver and other kinds of cells.

What are the high (elevated) blood tests on the liver (AST as well as ALT) are?

• (SHOT) and AST (SGOT) and ALP (SGPT) are remarkably sensitive indicators of damage to the liver or injury caused by various illnesses or conditions, and together they are referred to as liver blood tests or liver tests. But, it should be noted that elevated levels of the liver enzymes shouldn't be interpreted as meaning liver diseases. They may indicate liver problems or not. For example, the elevations of these enzymes may be associated with the context of muscle damage. The evaluation of the elevated AST and ALT results will depend on the whole clinical evaluation of a person; this is why it is best performed by a physician who is experienced in the evaluation of the effects of muscle and liver diseases.

• Additionally, the precise levels of these tests aren't correlated with the degree of liver disease or future prognosis (outlook). Therefore, the exact levels of AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) are not able to assess the severity of liver disease or to predict the future outcome of functioning of the liver. For instance, people suffering from chronic virus hepatitis A might develop extremely excessive AST and ALT concentrations (sometimes within the range of thousands units/litre); however, most people suffering from severe viral hepatitis A recover completely and with no residual liver disease. In contrast, those suffering from persistent chronic hepatitis C infection usually have only a small increase of the AST or ALT level despite suffering from a significant liver injury and possibly even severe liver scarring ( cirrhosis) caused by ongoing bleeding minor swelling of the liver.

Do the test results for ALT and AST suggest the function of the liver?

• It is essential to know that ALT and AST levels are not indicative of the functions in the liver even though in the medical field and medical journals, they are often and inaccurately described as tests of liver function. Even when AST and ALT are high, the liver can function normally. So, if you're suffering from "elevated liver's enzymes" or an excessive and abnormal test for your liver, you have to consult your doctor about what the results of all tests reveal.