Liver Function Tests Explained: What Your Results Mean
Introduction
One of the hardest working organs in the human body, the liver works hard everyday while often not getting any attention until it causes concern. It has more than 500 essential jobs each day. Examples of those are filtering toxins out of the bloodstream, processing nutrients from foods we eat, producing proteins, storing vitamins and minerals, maintaining proper blood sugar levels, and allowing fats to be digested. Even though it is capable of healing itself, the liver may still become damaged without obvious signs of injury.
Thus, it is not uncommon for your doctor to order a Liver Function Test (LFT). Many people are anxious when they see their LFT results with some elevated liver enzymes, but this doesn’t guarantee that you have serious liver disease. LFTs provide information about how your liver is functioning and can indicate whether additional tests may be needed. Understanding what your tests measure can enhance your conversations with your physician and allow you to make better decisions concerning your wellness.
Table of Content:
- Introduction
- What Is a Liver Function Test?
- Why Would Your Doctor Order a LFT?
- The Main Components of a Liver Function Test
- What Causes Abnormal Liver Function Tests?
- Is it Possible To Detect Fatty Liver Early?
- What To Do If You Get An Abnormal LFT Report
- How Can You Keep Your Liver Healthy?
- Final Thoughts
What Is a Liver Function Test?
A Liver Function Test is a collection of blood tests to evaluate different parts of liver health. It does not show one value, it looks at many enzymes and proteins to show how liver cells are functioning, how bile flows from the liver and whether or not the liver is doing all its regular functions.
A standard Liver Function Test may include:
- ALT (SGPT)
- AST (SGOT)
- Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)
- Bilirubin
- Albumin
- Total Protein
- Globulin
- Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) in select cases
All the markers tell a piece of the overall story, which is why doctors always interpret them as a group and don’t solely focus on one number.
Why Would Your Doctor Order a LFT?
Liver function tests are often ordered when a person presents with fatigue, lack of appetite, nausea or vomiting, abdominal pain or discomfort, yellowing of the whites of your eyes or skin, dark urine or unexplained weight loss but a great deal of people who take these tests will appear healthy.
The physician may order a LFT if you have:
- Diabetes or obesity
- Elevated cholesterol levels
- Consume alcohol on a habitual basis
- Long-term medication use
- Family history of liver disease
- Risk factors for Hepatitis
- Need for routine medical screening
- Show evidence of fatty liver disease on a ultrasound
Since liver diseases generally present without signs and symptoms, routine testing will be able to identify a liver condition early.
The Main Components of a Liver Function Test
ALT (SGPT)
Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) is the most important liver enzyme, and it is primarily located inside the liver cells. If the liver cells are damaged or inflamed, the ALT leaks into the bloodstream. High ALT levels can be present due to many conditions, such as fatty liver disease, viral hepatitis, alcohol-related liver damage, certain medications, or other liver disorders.
AST (SGOT)
Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) is another enzyme that is used to indicate damage to the liver. In contrast to ALT, AST is found in the liver, but it is also present in other tissues, such as muscle and heart tissue. Therefore, doctors typically evaluate AST relative to ALT rather than independently. The combination of the two enzymes is a good indication of the cause of the liver damage.
Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)
Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) is primarily associated with the bile ducts of the liver, which transport the bile created by the liver to your intestines. ALP can be elevated in blood tests if there is a problem with bile flow, such as a blockage of a bile duct or liver disease. ALP levels can also be elevated for conditions affecting your bones, so if your ALP level is elevated, further tests may be performed to find out why it is elevated.
Bilirubin
The breakdown of old red blood cells generates bilirubin. A healthy liver will efficiently process bilirubin; when bilirubin levels are high they can result in jaundice – yellow skin or eyes. Elevated bilirubin levels can also indicate liver disease, bile duct obstruction, gallstones, or some blood disorders.
Albumin and Total Protein
Albumin is a protein synthesized in the liver. It maintains fluid balance and functions to transport hormones, vitamins, and medications throughout the body. If the liver has a decreased level of albumin, it generally indicates decreased liver function, however, there are other reasons a low level of albumin may be present, such as kidney disease, malnutrition, or other medical conditions.
What Causes Abnormal Liver Function Tests?
Most people when they see an abnormal LFT automatically assume that they have liver disease, and this is not always the case. There are many reasons for liver test abnormalities including;
- Fatty liver disease.
- Obesity.
- Diabetes.
- Viral hepatitis.
- Alcohol use.
- Certian drugs.
- Trauma to muscles.
- Gallstones.
- Autoimmune liver disease.
- Nutritional deficiencies.
There are also times when liver enzymes will increase temporarily and return to a normal level without causing any residual damage.
Is it Possible To Detect Fatty Liver Early?
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common causes of abnormal liver function tests in the world today.
Fatty liver develops when there is too much fat stored in liver cells. It is very strongly linked to the following conditions: obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes and high cholesterol levels or hyperlipidemia.
The good news is that fatty liver can often become less severe if you adopt a healthy lifestyle by losing weight, exercising regularly, eating a well-balanced diet and controlling your blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. By detecting fatty liver early, you can have an opportunity to avoid developing more serious forms of liver disease.
What To Do If You Get An Abnormal LFT Report
You may be concerned by a report that shows an abnormal test result, but you should not panic when you get an abnormal LFT report as it may not be a serious issue.
An isolated abnormal value does not always mean that you have a serious illness. Your physician will take into account:
- Symptoms
- History of illness
- Alcohol intake
- Current medications
- Lifestyle habits (diet and exercise)
- Other laboratory tests such as bloodwork or liver imaging by Ultrasound etc.
Your Physician may also decide to repeat the LFT test in a few weeks if you are otherwise healthy, or to perform another test to determine the specific cause of the abnormal LFTs.
You should absolutely never self-treat with over-the-counter medications or discontinue any prescribed medications unless under the supervision of a doctor, as this could have negative effects on your health and potentially worsen the problem.
How Can You Keep Your Liver Healthy?
Keeping your liver in good condition requires adopting basic everyday habits to keep it healthy.
Here are some steps to help keep your liver healthy:
- Stay at a healthy weight
- Eat a diet that consists of a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins
- Cut back on processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages, and do not eat too much saturated fat
- Be active by exercising regularly
- Limit alcohol use
- Only take medications that are prescribed for you
- Be vaccinated against Hepatitis when applicable
- Control your diabetes and cholesterol levels
Over time, making some small changes can make a huge difference to your liver health.
Final Thoughts
Your Liver Function Test is an important tool for assessing the condition of one of the most vital organs in your body. It is useful in diagnosing things like liver inflammation, fatty liver disease, the presence of bile duct issues, or other diseases, even before you have any obvious symptoms. More importantly, by performing a Liver Function Test early on, a number of different items can be used to allow for early intervention in managing the condition. This gives many liver diseases the best chance of being well managed.
Sikund Diagnostic provides comprehensive Liver Function Tests with detailed results to help your doctor accurately diagnose and treat your liver problems. When reading your LFT, it’s important to remember that the numbers alone do not define your health, rather, the results indicate how your body is functioning and what can be done to contribute to a healthy long-term future.
