My Drs. assistant called with my blood work results. She mentioned that: AST & ALT levels are 54 & 99 respectively with cholesterol 186 .

Check with your physician because It seems that there are always exceptions; I may not be familiar with them.


"""ALT, an enzyme appears in liver cells, with lesser amounts in the kidneys, heart, and skeletal muscles, and is a relatively specific indicator of acute liver cell damage. When such damage occurs, ALT is released from the liver cells into the bloodstream, often before jaundice appears, resulting in abnormally high serum levels that may not return to normal for days or weeks.
The purpose of this blood serum test is to help detect and evaluate treatment of acute hepatic disease, especially hepatitis, and cirrhosis without jaundice. To help distinguish between mytyocardial (heart) and liver tissue damage (used with the AST enzyme test). Also to assess hepatotoxicity of some drugs.
ALT levels by a commonly used method range from 10 to 32 U/L; in women, from 9 to 24 U/L. (There does exist differing ranges used by various laboratories.)

Very high ALT levels (up to 50 times normal) suggest viral or severe drug-
induced hepatitis, or other hepatic disease with extensive necrosis (death of liver cells). (AST levels are also elevated but usually to a lesser degree.) Moderate-to-high levels may indicate infectious mononucleosis, chronic hepatitis, intrahepatic cholestasis or cholecystitis, early or improving acute viral hepatitis, or severe hepatic congestion due to heart failure. Slight-to-moderate elevations of ALT (usually with higher increases in AST levels) may appear in any condition that produces acute hepatocellular (liver cell) injury, such as active cirrhosis, and drug-induced or alcoholic hepatitis.
Marginal elevations occasionally occur in acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), reflecting secondary hepatic congestion or the release of small amounts of ALT from heart tissue.
Many medications produce hepatic injury by competitively interfering with cellular metabolism. Falsely elevated ALT levels can follow use of barbiturates, narcotics, methotrexate, chlorpromazine salicylates (aspirin), and other drugs that affect the liver.
Be Aware: Serum liver enzymes can create confusion for both patients and physicians for these tests are highly sensitive, but very non-specific. Tests commonly referred to as liver function tests or LFT's do not actually determine liver function. Instead, they are static, primarily diagnostic parameters that serve to detect liver disease rather than quantitative liver function. Rather than liver function tests, it is more useful to refer to these tests as serum liver tests and to mentally categorise them according to the pathophysiologic processes they truly reflect.
SGPT (Serum Glutamic-Pyruvic Transaminase - ALT)
Serum Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase or ALT is an enzyme found primarily in the liver but also to a lesser degree, the heart and other tissues. It is useful in diagnosing liver function more so than SGOT levels. Decreased SGPT in combination with increased cholesterol levels is seen in cases of a congested liver. We also see increased levels in mononucleosis, alcoholism, liver damage, kidney infection, chemical pollutants or myocardial infarction.
Normal Adult Range: 0 - 48 U/L
Optimal Adult Reading: 24



""""AST One of the two main liver function blood serum tests (the other being the ALT test). The purpose of this blood test is to detect a recent myocardial infarction (heart attack); to aid detection and differential diagnosis of acute hepatic disease and to monitor patient progress and prognosis in cardiac and hepatic diseases. AST levels by a commonly used method range from 8 to 20 U/L although some ranges may express a maximum high in the 40s. (Check with your physician.)
AST levels fluctuate in response to the extent of cellular necrosis (cell death) and therefore may be temporarily and minimally elevated early in the disease process, and extremely elevated during the most acute phase. Depending on when the initial sample was drawn, AST levels can rise- indicating increasing disease severity and tissue damage- or fall- indicating disease resolution and tissue repair. Thus, the relative change in AST values serves as a reliable monitoring mechanism.
Maximum elevations are associated with certain diseases and conditions. For example, very high elevations (more than 20 times normal) may indicate acute viral hepatitis, severe skeletal muscle trauma, extensive surgery, drug- induced hepatic injury, and severe liver congestion. High levels (ranging from 10 to 20 times normal) may indicate severe myocardial infarction (heart attack), severe infectious mononucleosis, and alcoholic cirrhosis. High levels may also occur during the resolving stages of conditions that cause maximal elevations. Moderate-to-high levels (ranging from 5 to 10 times normal) may indicate chronic hepatitis and other conditions. Low-to-moderate levels (ranging from 2 to 5 times normal) may indicate metastatic hepatic tumours, acute pancreatitis, pulmonary emboli, alcohol withdrawal syndrome, and fatty liver (steatosis).
SGOT (Serum Glutamic-Oxalocetic Transaminase - AST)
Serum Glutamic Oxalocetic Transaminase or AST is an enzyme found primarily in the liver, heart, kidney, pancreas, and muscles. Seen in tissue damage, especially heart and liver, this enzyme is normally elevated. Vitamin B deficiency and pregnancy are two instances where the enzyme may be decreased.
Normal Adult Range: 0 - 42 U/L
Optimal Adult Reading: 21""""


"""Cholesterol is a critical fat that is a structural component of cell membrane and plasma lipoproteins, and is important in the synthesis of steroid hormones, glucocorticoids, and bile acids. Mostly synthesized in the liver, some is absorbed through the diet, especially one high in saturated fats. High density lipoproteins (HDL) is desired as opposed to the low density lipoproteins (LDL), two types of cholesterol. Elevated cholesterol has been seen in artherosclerosis, diabetes, hypothyroidism and pregnancy. Low levels are seen in depression, malnutrition, liver insufficiency, malignancies, anemia and infection.
Normal Adult Range: 120 - 240 mg/dl
Optimal Adult Reading: 180"""""

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