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alat for liver damage

I asked my doctor to see if my liver was healty. she only checked the alat value. It was below the reference value. Do i need to test more ?
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683231 tn?1467323017
“ Causes
Liver disease has many causes.

Infection

Parasites and viruses can infect the liver, causing inflammation that reduces liver function. The viruses that cause liver damage can be spread through blood or semen, contaminated food or water, or close contact with a person who is infected. The most common types of liver infection are hepatitis viruses, including:

Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
Immune system abnormality

Diseases in which your immune system attacks certain parts of your body (autoimmune) can affect your liver. Examples of autoimmune liver diseases include:

Autoimmune hepatitis
Primary biliary cholangitis
Primary sclerosing cholangitis
Genetics

An abnormal gene inherited from one or both of your parents can cause various substances to build up in your liver, resulting in liver damage. Genetic liver diseases include:

Hemochromatosis
Wilson's disease
Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
Cancer and other growths

Examples include:

Liver cancer
Bile duct cancer
Liver adenoma
Other

Additional, common causes of liver disease include:

Chronic alcohol abuse
Fat accumulation in the liver (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease)
Certain prescription or over-the-counter medications
Certain herbal compounds
Risk factors
Factors that may increase your risk of liver disease include:

Heavy alcohol use
Obesity
Type 2 diabetes
Tattoos or body piercings
Injecting drugs using shared needles
Blood transfusion before 1992
Exposure to other people's blood and body fluids
Unprotected sex
Exposure to certain chemicals or toxins
Family history of liver disease”
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Do any of these conditions apply to you?
683231 tn?1467323017
From the Mayo Clinic

“Symptoms:

Liver disease doesn't always cause noticeable signs and symptoms. If signs and symptoms of liver disease do occur, the may include:

Skin and eyes that appear yellowish (jaundice)
Abdominal pain and swelling
Swelling in the legs and ankles
Itchy skin
Dark urine color
Pale stool color
Chronic fatigue
Nausea or vomiting
Loss of appetite
Tendency to bruise easily”

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/liver-problems/symptoms-causes/syc-20374502
Helpful - 0
683231 tn?1467323017
I believe you mean your ALT value. Why are you testing your liver enzymes?

Usually they will run a liver panel which checks ALT AST and several other enzymes. However that will only show if something is currently injuring your liver like a current liver infection live hepatitis.

Liver enzymes do not reflect how much liver damage you may have.

For me when I had hep c my liver enzymes were slightly elevated for decades. In that time I eventually progressed to liver cirrhosis. However, now that my hep c is cured my liver enzymes are normal but I still have extensive liver damage liver cirrhosis. But nothing is currently injuring my liver.

Why are you having your liver enzymes tested? Do you suspect a hepatitis infection?
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2 Comments
Yes it is ALT. I think in Europe they say Alat.
I dont suspect a hepatitis infection. But i don’t feel well the last weeks and i want my liver to be tested. Now i read everywhere ALT is not enough.
Why are you specifically concerned about your liver? If you don’t drink, are not excessively overweight, have a form of hepatitis, or have symptoms related to liver disease I tend to doubt you have liver problems. Liver disease is not very common. You need something specifically going on to cause liver disease. Are your eyes and skin turning yellow? Do you have excessively dark urine (looks like cola soda)? Is your stomach distended whee you look like you are pregnant?

I would suggest you discuss your symptoms with your doctor and let them do the diagnostic work.
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683231 tn?1467323017
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