Table of Contents
What does it mean when your ALT is too high?
High levels of ALT may indicate liver damage from hepatitis, infection, cirrhosis, liver cancer, or other liver diseases. Other factors, including medicines, can affect your results. Be sure to tell your health care provider about all the prescription and over-the counter medicines you are taking.
What are the symptoms of high ALT levels?
If liver damage is the cause of elevated liver enzymes, you may have symptoms such as:
- Abdominal (stomach) pain.
- Dark urine (pee).
- Fatigue (feeling tired).
- Itching.
- Jaundice (yellowing of your skin or eyes).
- Light-colored stools (poop).
- Loss of appetite.
- Nausea and vomiting.
Is green tea good for your liver?
A smaller study including people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) found that drinking green tea high in antioxidants for 12 weeks improved liver enzyme levels and may also help reduce oxidative stress and fat deposits in the liver ( 7 ).
What causes elevated ALT levels?
Liver enzymes, including ALT, help your liver break down proteins to make them easier for your body to absorb. When your liver is damaged or inflamed, it can release ALT into your bloodstream. This causes your ALT levels to rise.
What can cause elevated ALT levels?
Therefore, elevations of certain liver enzymes might be due to non-liver-related causes. For example, strenuous physical exercise can cause a temporary increase in ALT, AST and LDH levels. Bone, small bowel and kidney diseases often cause elevated ALP levels.
What are the reasons for elevated AST and Alt?
Common causes of elevated ALT and AST are viral liver infections, alcohol abuse, cirrhosis (from any chronic causes), hemochromatosis (iron overload), shock, and/or heart failure.
What causes elevated AST and Alt?
The most common diseases causing abnormally elevated ALT and AST are acute viral hepatitis, such as hemochromatosis (a genetic condition causing long standing liver damage due to iron build up in the liver), and diminished blood flow to the liver (from shock or heart failure).