Description of the blood Analysis: 

ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase), also known as GPT (Glutamic-Pyruvic Transaminase), is an enzyme found primarily in the liver. While it exists in small amounts in the kidneys, heart, and muscles, its concentration in the liver is significantly higher. This makes ALT a much more specific indicator of liver health than AST. When liver cells (hepatocytes) are damaged or inflamed, ALT is released into the bloodstream, often before any physical symptoms of liver disease appear.

What Does the Analysis Represent?

• Goal: To specifically detect and monitor liver injury or inflammation.
• Main Application: Screening for viral hepatitis, diagnosing fatty liver disease, monitoring the effects of alcohol on the liver, and tracking the safety of long-term medication use.
• Biological Process: It reflects the physical state of liver cells; an elevation indicates that the cell membranes are leaking or that cells are dying.

Recommendations for the Test (General)

• Fasting: Recommended. Fasting for 8–12 hours ensures that the serum is clear of dietary fats (lipemia), which can interfere with the laboratory equipment.
• Alcohol: Avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours before the test, as even a small amount can cause a temporary enzyme spike.
• Medications: Inform your doctor about all supplements and medications, as many common drugs can influence liver enzymes.
• Material: Venous blood (serum).

What Can Affect the Results?

• Body Mass Index (BMI): Individuals with obesity or “fatty liver” often have chronically elevated ALT levels.
• Exercise: While less affected than AST, extreme physical exertion can still cause minor increases in ALT.
• Infections: Recent viral infections (not just hepatitis, but even the flu or mononucleosis) can temporarily raise levels.
• Medications: Long-term use of acetaminophen, statins, or certain antibiotics.

When to Take the Test?

• Symptoms of Liver Trouble: Yellowing of the eyes or skin (jaundice), swelling in the abdomen, dark urine, or chronic nausea.
• Risk Factors: History of heavy alcohol consumption, exposure to hepatitis viruses, or a family history of liver disease.
• Routine Monitoring: Required for patients taking cholesterol medications (statins) or those with Type 2 diabetes.
• General Health Check: It is almost always included in a Liver Function Test (LFT) or Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP).

How to Interpret the Results?

Important: ALT is a specific marker for the liver and must be interpreted by a licensed physician. High ALT: A primary indicator of liver inflammation or damage, often caused by viruses, alcohol, or fatty liver disease. Normal Range: Generally indicates that the liver is functioning within healthy parameters.

Possible Further Investigations

• AST (GOT): To calculate the AST/ALT ratio, which helps differentiate the cause of the injury.
• GGT and Alkaline Phosphatase: To check if the bile ducts are blocked.
• Hepatitis Panel: To rule out viral infections (Hep A, B, C).
• Liver Ultrasound: To check for “fatty liver” (steatosis) or scarring (fibrosis).

When Does the Next Step Make Sense? 

The next step is necessary if ALT is even slightly above the reference range. Because the liver has a massive capacity to compensate for damage, an elevated ALT is often the only early warning sign of a problem. Early diagnosis of fatty liver or hepatitis can lead to changes that completely reverse the damage before it turns into permanent scarring (cirrhosis).

👉 If necessary, you can discuss the results of the analysis with a specialist, such as a Gastroenterologist (Doctors – TAMC)