ALT, AST
The liver enzymes.
ALT and AST rise when liver cells are damaged. Labs often use an upper limit of about 40 U/L; for healthy people lower ALT limits are suggested: 29–33 in men, 19–25 U/L in women.
| Finding | Possible direction |
|---|---|
| ALT > AST (mild) | Fatty liver, medicines, viral hepatitis |
| AST > ALT (ratio >2) | Possible alcohol-related liver disease |
| More than 10 times the upper limit | Acute hepatitis or drug injury; clinician the same day |
| AST high alone | May be muscle damage; look together with CK |
- Kwo PY et al., ACG Clinical Guideline: Evaluation of Abnormal Liver Chemistries, Am J Gastroenterol 2017
General information only; not diagnosis or treatment. Review your results with your clinician.
