Alanine Aminotransferase

ALT is a liver enzyme indicating liver health, with elevated levels signifying liver cell damage or inflammation.

📋 About This Biomarker

Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) is an enzyme primarily found in the liver, with smaller amounts present in the kidneys, heart, and muscles. ALT plays a crucial role in converting alanine, an amino acid, into pyruvate, which is a key intermediate in cellular energy production. ALT levels in the blood are a useful marker of liver health because they increase when liver cells are damaged or inflamed, releasing the enzyme into the bloodstream. Elevated ALT levels can indicate liver conditions such as hepatitis, fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver damage due to alcohol or drug use. ALT is often measured alongside other liver enzymes like AST (aspartate aminotransferase) to provide a comprehensive picture of liver function and to help diagnose and monitor liver disease.

🎯 Why We Test This

Measuring ALT levels is essential for diagnosing and monitoring liver diseases and assessing liver function. It provides valuable insights into liver health and helps detect conditions such as hepatitis, fatty liver disease, and liver damage due to alcohol or drugs. Regular monitoring of ALT levels is particularly important for individuals with risk factors for liver disease, such as obesity, diabetes, or excessive alcohol consumption. Maintaining ALT levels within the normal range is crucial for preventing liver complications and ensuring overall health.

⚠️ What Affects It

Factors influencing ALT levels include liver diseases (such as hepatitis, fatty liver, and cirrhosis), alcohol consumption, medications (such as statins, acetaminophen, and antibiotics), obesity, diabetes, strenuous exercise, and muscle injuries. Conditions like heart failure and infections can also impact ALT levels.

📈 How to Improve

For high ALT levels, addressing the underlying cause of liver damage, such as reducing alcohol intake, adjusting medications, losing weight, and treating infections like hepatitis, is crucial. For levels close to being high, similar lifestyle adjustments and monitoring can help maintain liver health. For low ALT levels, no specific intervention is typically needed, but maintaining a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle supports overall liver function. Regular monitoring and consultation with a healthcare provider ensure that ALT levels remain within the optimal range, reflecting good liver health.

📊 Understanding Your Results (U/L)

Low
Low ALT levels are uncommon and typically not clinically significant. They may indicate very good liver health or less muscle mass, but they are usually not a cause for concern. Ensuring a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle can help maintain overall liver function.
Optimal
Normal ALT levels indicate healthy liver function, with no significant liver cell damage or inflammation. This balance suggests effective liver enzyme activity and overall good liver health, reflecting the absence of liver disease or injury. ALT levels near the upper limit may suggest mild liver stress or early stages of liver disease. This can be due to factors such as moderate alcohol consumption, certain medications, or metabolic conditions like obesity and diabetes. Monitoring these levels and addressing lifestyle factors or medication use can help maintain liver health and prevent further elevation. ALT levels near the lower end of the reference range are generally not a cause for concern and indicate normal liver enzyme activity. This suggests that liver cells are not being damaged or inflamed and are functioning properly.
High (> 40 U/L)
Elevated ALT levels (hypertransaminasemia) indicate liver cell damage or inflammation. Causes can include viral hepatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), alcoholic liver disease, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and drug-induced liver injury. Symptoms of liver disease may include jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, and dark urine. Identifying and treating the underlying cause is crucial for managing high ALT levels and preventing further liver damage.
Also known as: Alanine Aminotransferase