Elevated liver enzymes causes

Liver enzymes and their importance

The fact is that the liver is a very important organ in the human body and it consists ofnumerous enzymes, more than one thousand, which are all necessary for particularmetabolic processes and chemical reactions in the body. However, when laboratorytests are done, the levels of four liver enzymes are checked in order to see ifany liver disease is present. These enzymes are known together as transaminasesand cholestatic liver enzymes. To be more precise, transaminases are aspartateaminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), while cholestaticliver enzymes are alkaline phosphatase (AP) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT).

The elevated levels of enzymes known as transaminases are usually related tosome injury or inflammation of liver cells, although they may be related to thediseases or problems of some other organs as well, since AST is also present inother organs. As for cholestatic liver enzymes, their increased levels are related to the bileducts, so they usually indicate either inflammation and injury, or some kind ofblockage to the bile ducts.

Elevated liver enzymes and the main causes

It is important to say that elevated liver enzymes do not alwaysindicate some inflammation or injury of the liver. Also, it is rarely possibleto determine the reason after the first blood test has been done, which is whyfurther analyses are usually necessary to set a correct diagnosis. As for themost common causes of elevated liver enzymes, they also include the following:

The consumptions of alcohol and disorders that may be causedby it (such as alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis)Obesity,High levels of triglycerides,Medications among which are those that lower cholesterollevels, antibiotics, and NSAIDs,Hepatitis type A, B and C and a number of other types ofhepatitis,Inflammation of the gallbladder,Gallstones,Pancreatitis,Mononucleosis,Hypothyroidism,Heart attack,Liver cancer,Wilson’s disease,Epstein bar virusHerbal toxicity.

It depends on the cause which symptoms will be present,although in many cases, no obvious and noticeable symptoms are present at all. Asfor the treatment, it also depends on the cause, but it is important to saythat there are many natural ways in which elevated liver enzymes may be lowered.There are various diets that have the purpose to cleanse or detoxify the liver,and they should be given a chance. However, it is important to consult a doctorin advance, in order to check out how safe it is in each particular case.