Usually we are talking about the liver enzymes ALT and AST. They are also called transaminases or aminotransferases. They sit inside the liver cells and fall out of there when the liver cells are damaged.
The amount of these enzymes in a blood test is measured in international units. Normally, there are about 30 international units.
In fact, there is no rigid norm. Men usually have more liver enzymes in their blood than women. In women, they jump during the cycle. Both those and others have fluctuations during the day. They also depend on weight, blood cholesterol, and more.
People who drink a lot of coffee, for some reason, have lower ALT. There is no clear explanation for this.
Liver enzymes are elevated in most liver diseases and other diseases that affect the liver in passing, such as infections or heart failure. With all these diseases and conditions, AST and ALT can increase by about 8 times.
If transaminases have increased more than 8 times, then it must be some kind of targeted damage liver: paracetamol poisoning, liver tumor, viral hepatitis, blockage of the artery feeding part liver.
If you try, you can find elevated ALT or AST in every fifth person.
If you collect all the people with elevated liver enzymes, then only 5% of them really have something serious with the liver.
Just from physical activity, ALT can increase 2 times. Therefore, it is better not to exercise before taking tests. Enzymes live in your blood for a day or two and can ruin your test.
There are tons of drugs that people need, but that increase liver enzymes. This is fine.
If the liver is severely damaged by hepatitis or toxin, the transaminases will rise to somewhere around 1000 IU. This is 30 times higher than the norm.
Viral hepatitis A can increase transaminases to 3,000 to 4,000 international units. That is, more than 100 times.
Therefore, if you become ill, and your AST and ALT have increased less than 3 - 5 times, then this may not worry anyone except you, because these are trifles. Clear?
