High alkaline phosphatase and other liver enzymes | Zyla Health
The liver is shaped like a cone and is dark red-brown in colour. It weighs around 1.3 kg and is located on the upper right side of the abdomen. It is the largest internal organ in the body and yet most people overlook its impact on their health.
This vital organ plays many roles in our day to day functioning. Some of these include:
- The production of a fluid called bile (stored in gall bladder) which helps to carry away waste from the liver and breaks down fats.
- The production of cholesterol.
- The production of proteins like albumin and fibrinogen. Albumin helps in maintaining blood volume and fibrinogen prevents blood from clotting inside the body.
So, as much as you pay attention to your hair, clothing and footwear you must also pay a little extra attention to one of the most crucial organs in your system that keeps you alive and kicking.
Let us continue reading about it a little more in detail by discussing various liver enzymes like alkaline phosphatase, SGOT etc and their functions in our body, thus understanding how certain factors affect our liver and liver enzymes.
Liver enzymes
These are the proteins produced by the liver to examine the extent of any damage to our liver. It includes low or high ALP, SGOT, SGPT and GGT.
In a normal human body without any diseases or health issues, these enzymes are expressed at a normal level.
The most common enzymes produced by the liver are aminotransferases. In case the liver is damaged in any way these enzyme levels shoot up which is a sign of some liver damage. These include:
- SGOT (Serum Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminase) or AST (Aspartate transaminase)
- SGPT (Serum Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase) or ALT (Alanine transaminase)
The other two enzymes are the:
- ALP (Alkaline phosphatase)
- GGT (Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase)
The disturbed enzyme levels are detected in blood tests. Although, slightly elevated levels of these enzymes might not be a cause for concern. However, it is suggested to rule out the possibility of early disease.
Make sure to have a word with your healthcare professional if the levels of these enzymes are elevated. Now, let us look at some common causes of elevated liver enzymes!
Causes of high liver enzymes
There are many diseases, diet patterns and medications that can be the reason for the high ALP and other liver enzymes. Some of these include:
- Common disease conditions- Hepatitis A, B, C, obesity, heart failure, liver cancer, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, sepsis, etc.
- Diet- Red meat, fried food, salted food, white bread, added sugar and most importantly drinking alcohol on a regular basis.
- Medications- OTC drugs and certain statins.
If you’re seeking help to improve your liver health by working on the above causes, you can download the Zyla app or visit our website Zyla.in and enrol in the “Liver Lifeline Program”.
Now that you know what causes liver enzymes to rise, let us take a look at how the body reacts to elevated alkaline phosphatase and other liver enzymes and what signs do you need to watch out for!
Symptoms of high liver enzymes
In the case of slight elevations, there are not many noticeable symptoms. However, when the levels of these enzymes are significantly high you might experience:
- Fatigue or right upper abdominal pain
- Tenderness
- Itching
- Nausea and vomiting
Besides the symptoms of high alkaline phosphatase and other liver enzymes, there are some other cases where your doctor might ask you to get your Liver Function Test (LFT) done. These include:
- Family history of liver disease
- Obesity or overweight
- Excessive alcohol intake and drug usage
- Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM)
In case your liver enzymes are elevated, with or without any symptoms, your doctor might recommend further imaging in order to get a confirmed diagnosis. Let us look at some imaging methods commonly used to diagnose liver diseases.
Diagnosis for high liver enzymes
As mentioned above, in most cases a simple blood test is done to determine the elevation in your alkaline phosphatase and other liver enzymes. Further imaging is then required in order to evaluate the cause or proper diagnosis of the elevated liver enzymes.
Some of the additional tests include:
- Physical examination
- Ultrasound
- CAT scan and
- Liver biopsy
In many cases, ultrasound is routinely done after LFT.
Always make sure to follow the precautions before doing any tests. Some tests do require fasting and some don’t. Discuss with your doctor or the lab technician to avoid delays in this process.
Moving on, let us take a look at what we can do in order to manage liver health at home effectively.
Treatment and diet for high liver enzymes
So far, we have discussed basic analysing methods and the symptoms associated with high ALP and other enzymes. Now here we will look into the management of these high levels.
If the levels are only slightly elevated, the doctor usually suggests changes in your diet. And if you consume alcohol regularly, your doctor will most definitely ask you to limit your intake and gradually stop to prevent further damage to the liver and to reduce high alkaline phosphatase.
Most of the common foods that help to treat liver disease are:
- Vegetables and fruits- All veggies and fruits are filled with fibre and different antioxidants which help in preventing fat buildup and reducing inflammation in the liver.
- Garlic- In case you are looking out to lose some weight and also have fatty liver disease, garlic makes this process a bit faster. Include it in your regular curries, sabzis or have 1 garlic clove on an empty stomach.
- Omega 3 fatty acids- If you are a fish eater, fishes like sardines, tuna and salmon are high in these fatty acids that help in bringing down inflammation in the liver. Olive oil is another major source of omega 3 fatty acid that has proven to lower liver enzymes including alkaline phosphatase.
- Sunflower seeds- These yummy tasting seeds packed with Vitamin E, helps to protect the liver from damage as Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant. They help to slow down the damage done by certain molecules to the liver.
- Tofu- Another interesting food that is rich in soy protein, tofu is proven to have antioxidant properties that prevent liver damage.
We have discussed all the important food items that can help to improve liver health. All these food items are common and can be easily found in any kitchen and grocery store.
Now we will move to the foods that you need to avoid to reduce high alkaline phosphatase and other liver enzymes, which include:
- Fried Foods- It does not require any explanation since we all know that fried foods are rich in unhealthy fats and can easily worsen liver health.
- Sugar- Most of the packaged food items are loaded with sugar. Staying away from these can prevent a wide range of health problems.
- White foods- These food items are usually high in refined flour. Flour is highly processed and less in fibre which in turn leads to an increase in your plasma glucose levels.
- Fats — A big NO trans fat and limit saturated fats in case of any liver issues.
Phew! That was one considering list. But now you have an idea of your grocery list. So, the next time you go shopping, take this list to protect your liver from damage.
For a detailed eating plan to improve liver health, you can download the Zyla app or visit our website Zyla.in and enrol in the “Liver Lifeline Program”. The plan will guide you through foods to eat, to avoid, how much to eat and when to eat etc.
Let us also take a look at the common medications that are prescribed in liver disease:
1. NAFLD (Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease)
In this case, your doctor might simply suggest vitamin E supplements to reverse high alkaline phosphatase or the mild level of damage or in some cases, even pioglitazone is suggested in case you are diabetic.
2. Hepatitis
Hepatitis is mostly treated with antiviral drugs. These drugs have shown maximum efficacy to treat hepatitis but they also come with a pack of symptoms that include weakness, nausea, sleep disturbances, etc.
Interferon therapy is another line of treatment for hepatitis and works with your immune system to fight the virus.
3. Autoimmune hepatitis
This is treated with steroids and immunosuppressants. Again these medicines come with a wide range of symptoms from weight gain to an increase in your blood pressure.
4. Cirrhosis
In the case of long term liver disease, ursodeoxycholic acid is the go-to drug. It is a natural bile acid that moves the bile to the small intestine.
In case you experience difficulty while taking it alone, your doctor might prescribe obeticholic acid which also helps in increasing bile flow.
Alcohol abuse treatment
Reducing the consumption of alcohol to gradually put a stop altogether is the best way to prevent your liver from further damage. Alcohol being a toxin pushes the liver to work more to remove it from the body. For more information, read our blog, “How alcohol programs our liver to die?”
Alcohol affects your body in different ways. Alcohol is primarily responsible for high ALP levels. It also causes severe dehydration in your body.
If you have become dependent on alcohol, the step to recovery must be slow but steady. Some of the options available for alcohol addiction treatment include:
- Support groups
- Counselling with a therapist
- Rehabilitation programs
- De-addiction centres
- Prescription medications as suggested by your doctor
It is advisable to talk to your doctor in order to find the best way to figure out this problem. It is not mandatory to take medicines for this treatment. You can choose to get off this addiction in a healthy manner on your own.
Alcohol de-addiction takes months and sometimes years to come out of, but always make sure you have a team to help you with this. Always discuss with your healthcare professional before taking herbal supplements and other medications that might have a direct effect on the liver.
Also, your doctor might suggest you get vaccinated against hepatitis and pneumonia as well. Do make sure to get them on a timely basis.
So far, you must have created a picture in your mind about the liver as a whole and most importantly about the role of the enzymes. You are now aware of symptoms associated with elevations of liver enzymes including alkaline phosphatase.
In some cases, working on your diet will not solely help. In those cases, do not take the risk of prolonging damage to your liver. Instead, talk to your doctor and get the right help at the right time.
The side effects of liver disease are not as simple as it seems on paper. Living with it is a task but you don’t have to worry and stress about it. The right medications along with the right diet and lifestyle changes will help you to manage it in a better way.
If you are seeking help to improve your liver health in a better way, you can download the Zyla app or visit our website Zyla.in and enrol in Liver Lifeline Program today! You can also check out the other health programs which are suitable for you.
Stay safe! Stay healthy!
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