Liver Function Tests (original LFTs!) - ALT results worry me.

[PennyRoyal]

Had a full blood test in December as psoriasis flared up etc. The results came back all normal apart from my liver ALT reading of 58 (normal range below 35). Spoke to Dr who said could be many reasons for this, most common fatty liver but repeat in 6-8 weeks.

Repeat results back today and ALT is 52 so still out of range. My diet is good - low fat, veggies, rarely red meat. I drink low(er) alcohol wine 8% at weekend and stay within units. I exercise daily.

My notes online say "Needs repeat/further tests". Will book a phone consult with Dr but I'm worrying like crazy about it. And Google doesn't help

Anyone else had anything similar? I hate the anxiety of it all.

I’d ask for an ultrasound scan. This would pick up fatty liver and some other issues.
I had off results when I went for a health MOT through work and was advised to do this.

The bilirubin is the one to worry about if it's out of range because that indicates long lasting damage.

Your ALT would need to be about 20 times higher than yours before anyone would worry about you being ill. Even 10 times higher and a hepatologist would probably just shrug unless there were other concerning factors (e.g. jaundice - have you turned yellow? I assume you would have mentioned it!).

Repeat tests will be to monitor it and see what it's doing over time. That's the standard response to LFTs going out of range - repeat the test. Then repeat them again. Small things like what you ate the day before can cause blips because your liver is part of your digestive system.

Nobody is going to get excited over those results so they are definitely not worth worrying yourself over.

Even irregular meal patterns can affect LFTs.

And isn't psoriasis autoimmune? Immune system issues also belong in the list of reasons for LFTs to go wonky.

Bilirubin is often not raised until very late on into liver damage. My raised levels were put down to Holland and Barrett bought supplements. My levels have never been wildly high. The damage is significant. Autoimmune in my case. Hopefully it’s just a blip. But check it out.

Thanks @draramallama - you've certainly helped ease some anxiety. Bilirubin is 8 (range 3-21) so that's ok. Psoriasis is autoimmune so could be a factor.

My 1st LFT was few days after my Covid booster and since Christmas I've had terrible (not Covid) cough so was fighting something when had my 2nd.

The worry is always draining, but I will see what Dr says is next step.

@draramallama An isolated very slightly raised ALT is probably not going to be due to anything very worrying, but almost everything else in your post is unfortunately not true.

OP, it looks like your GPs on the case. Hope it turns out well.

Probably not relevant, but when this happened to me it turned out that I had gallbladder problems. Liver went back to normal when I had it out.

@Sonata13

Probably not relevant, but when this happened to me it turned out that I had gallbladder problems. Liver went back to normal when I had it out.

Had my gallbladder out a few years ago. This does raise the risk of fatty liver so that's another thing to think about.
Always something to worry about!

Ok, I better let my hepatologist know that everything they've told me over the last decade is incorrect.

I literally just repeated the discussions of my weekly specialist appointments over the last month, but yeh sure it's all wrong.

My numbers were very similar, I got sent for an Ultrasound but nothing abnormal 'just' fatty liver.

I am overweight, not massively. I'm actually due another blood test but putting off phoning for an appointment because I haven't lost any weight in the past 6 weeks .

You're not on any new meds are you? I was put on labetalol for high BP and had an ALT of 1200!! Luckily I was being monitored for my kidneys and it was picked up quickly in a blood test before I became seriously ill. Hope you get to the bottom of it soon

The same happened to me which made no sense as I eat very healthily and exercised a lot so did some research. I found out that ALT can be raised after intense muscle exercise, which indeed I'd done the day before.

I made sure not to exercise 3 days before my next blood test and sure enough, it came back totally normal.

Just though I'd update my original post.

Had my 3rd set of blood results back and, despite strict diet and low/zero alcohol, ALT has risen (now 101) from 58 and then 52. So being referred for ultrasound to see what's going on.

I have lost almost a stone in three months with my diet but have never been really overweight. (I have BMI of 23). I'm not on any meds apart from Vitamins etc.

I can't help but worry although GP said not to and there are many things that could be causing this.

@PennyRoyal if you don't mind me asking, how are you getting on? Did you have the ultrasound?

@Greymalkin12

Still waiting, surgery say referral has gone off but my health trust (SW) is way behind on many things. I'm back in office working full time with large team to manage so my mind has been taken off it all! but if I don't hear in a few weeks, I will try and nudge.

@PennyRoyal Good luck xx

Hi there, just wondered what the outcome was as I am experiencing the same?

What vitamin supplements are you taking?
I had raised ALT levels after an overdose I took last October but my intensive googling told me it was no where near a level that would be a cause for concern.
I also had a pharmacist once tell me that the liver is very good at healing from damage, sometimes miraculously so!!

@PennyRoyal how did you get on? I am also researching after a raised ALT. Hope all is ok

Hi. I had two scans (u/s and CT) which showed nothing abnormal! Another blood test few months later showed a reduction in ALT but still above normal. However now, recent results are all back to normal. I did nothing apart from watching my diet, reduced alcohol to having a reason to drink rather than "just fancying" it (so birthdays, celebrations/get together, holidays, Christmas etc) and also now take a liver cleanse supplement daily. So who knows what caused it!