An increased level of alat is called. What does it mean if alanine aminotransferase is elevated? An increase in catalyst levels may be associated with certain pathological processes

Everyone had to take blood tests, but often we are not able to decipher the indicated indicators. If speak about biochemical research blood, then such an analysis is considered the most comprehensive. One of the important indicators of this study is ALT (alanine aminotransferase). ALT (gpt) testing is sometimes detected incidentally. If the readings are above normal, then the doctor may suggest the development of a serious disease in the body.

To understand the whole point of this biochemical analysis blood, it is necessary to understand the nature of the origin of this substance, its functions and capabilities.

What is ALT in biochemical analysis?

Alanine aminotransferase is an enzyme that is produced inside cells. It is produced in small quantities, but its role is quite large. Alanine aminotransferase is produced more actively in adult men than in women. Female body carries out processes involving ALT a little slower. Blood tests for women and men for this indicator have different standards. A sharp increase in ALT is due to the destruction internal organs. The main task of the alt enzyme is to ensure the exchange of amino acids.

In addition, ALT is a catalyst for alanine. This substance is an amino acid that can be converted into glucose. It helps the body obtain energy, develops the functioning of the central nervous system and brain. This substance can accumulate in certain organs, namely:

liver,
kidneys,
spleen,
muscle mass,
pancreas,
heart muscle,
lungs.

In what cases is this analysis vital?

If the ALT blood test is elevated, the doctor may suggest several possible diagnoses. Often, for a more detailed and accurate diagnosis, doctors compare two indicators - alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). These are two enzymes that are equally produced inside cells.

Liver cells

Their ratio may indicate the presence of problems with the internal organs in which they tend to accumulate. When ALT is higher than AST and is far from normal, this situation may indicate the presence of serious destruction of liver cells. If AST, on the contrary, is higher than ALT, then this indicates the presence of heart problems.

Important! When taking tests, the AST content can increase sharply in those patients who are sick with cirrhosis of the liver.

Sometimes, using ALT in a biochemical blood test, doctors can determine the degree of advanced disease and possible prognosis for recovery.

In what cases can a doctor prescribe an ALT test?

if you suspect hepatitis, jaundice,
complaints of constant weakness,
feeling fatigue with minimal physical activity,
loss of appetite,
nausea,
gagging,
frequent consumption of alcoholic beverages in large quantities,
parallel occurrence of heart, kidney and liver diseases.

In a blood test, ALT will be elevated in such cases. Often this indicator is higher than normal in people who long time abused alcohol, as it has a destructive effect on the functioning of internal organs.

ALT norm

Blood biochemistry is an important test that is performed for both adults and children. The ALT indicator has its own limits for each age group, as well as a table with standards, are often divided into three groups: men, women, children of different ages.

Important! The norm for women is up to 30 U/l, and for men – up to 40 U/l.

The norm for men and women is slightly different, since male body produces this enzyme more actively and faster.

Concerning child's body, then here important role The child's age plays a role. Since a child’s body experiences active growth until almost 12-14 years of age, test results may vary, which is considered normal. ALT test standards for children:

up to 5 days of life – no more than 49 U/l,
from 6 days of life to 6 months – no more than 56 U/l,
from 6 months to 1 year – up to 54 U/l,
1-3 years – up to 33 U/l,
3-6 years – up to 28 U/l,
6-12 years – no more than 39 U/l.

When taking this test, parents should not panic, since as active growth subsides, the enzyme level should stabilize. In addition, the period of puberty plays an important role, when a sharp change in hormonal levels occurs in the body of a teenager.

The amount of this enzyme in the body can also be affected by various drugs or active physical exercise. There are cases when patients have no complaints about the functioning of their body, but according to tests, ALT is increased. Before donating blood, you need to tell the doctor what medications the patient has been taking for a long time.

People who have heart, liver and pancreas diseases need to systematically take ALT. Often, when a person is diagnosed with myocardial infarction, the amount of ALT is 5 times higher. There are cases when after a heart attack this figure increases even more, up to 10 times. This picture of the course of the disease indicates a deterioration in the condition. In people with pancreatitis, this figure may be 3-5 times higher than normal. When a patient has hepatitis, ALT may exceed normal value by 20-50 times.

What can cause an increase in ALT?

ALT in a blood test is important indicator, but its increased amount may not always be affected by some disease. There are a number of reasons that can increase the production of this enzyme:

long-term use medicines(it is especially important to take into account the use of antibiotics),
reception fatty foods immediately before the analysis,
muscle trauma,
drinking alcoholic beverages 5-7 days before the test day,
severe stress,
intense training or heavy physical labor,
carrying out surgical intervention just a few days before the test,
chemotherapy,
toxic poisoning of the body,
reception narcotic drugs.

All this means that the amount of ALT can be influenced by various factors, therefore, before taking the test, you must follow all the specified recommendations of the attending physician. If the indicators are elevated, then you need to know what to do in this case. Self-medication is contraindicated; subsequent therapy is determined only by the attending physician.

How to prepare for donating blood?

To take the test material, doctors use venous blood, so to diagnose ALT, they take blood from a vein.

Carrying out analysis

For the result to be true, you need to adhere to a number of recommendations:

14 days before submitting the material, you should stop taking a number of medications (the doctor must independently stop taking the medications),
24 hours before the test you should not drink alcoholic beverages,
in 1-2 days you should give up fatty, fried and junk food(fast food is contraindicated),
You should not overload yourself with heavy physical activity during the day,
It's better to be less nervous
parallel procedures should be postponed for now,
On the day of donating blood, you should not eat food 8 hours before (the test is performed on an empty stomach).

These are simple but necessary rules to follow.

What diseases can develop with increased ALT?

An increase in the synthesis of transaminases affects the functioning of internal organs, so often doctors, when testing blood for ALT, assume the development of the following diseases:

Hepatitis. In the test table, ALT for viral or alcoholic hepatitis will increase several times at once. A doctor can diagnose this condition several days before the first symptoms of the disease appear. In the case of hepatitis A, this test allows you to diagnose the disease at an early stage.
Liver cancer. New growth in liver cells actively increases the production of ALT. Sometimes increased content alanine aminotransferase does not make it possible to perform surgery on this organ. In case of surgical intervention, there is a high probability of developing even greater complications.
Pancreatitis. An increase in transaminase during a blood test is possible before an attack of pancreatitis. Patients who have pancreatitis throughout their lives need to be regularly tested for this indicator. In some cases, timely blood donation can prevent exacerbation of the disease.
Myocarditis. This heart disease, in which the ALT enzyme in biochemistry is elevated, there is shortness of breath and severe weakness. The patient may complain of soreness in the sternum area. The level of alanine aminotransferase can increase up to 5 times. In rare cases, ALT levels may increase due to myocardial infarction.

Special attention should be paid to injuries muscle tissue. When the body is exposed to frostbite, burns or major trauma, the level of the enzyme in the blood will increase.

What symptoms may indicate high ALT?

High levels of alanine aminotransferase can sometimes affect a person's well-being. Depending on the disease, a person may experience a number of negative symptoms.

Liver diseases may manifest as the following changes:

enlargement of the veins of the anterior abdominal wall,
varicose veins veins in the abdomen,
abdominal ascites (fluid accumulation),
pain in the right side of the hypochondrium,
feeling of nausea,
vomit,
yellowness of the skin and sclera,
the appearance of spider veins on the body.

Of particular importance are varicose veins, which are accompanied by bleeding.

Diseases of the pancreas can be expressed:

frequent bloating,
soreness in the navel area,
frequent vomiting,
blurred vision
severe weakness.

Presence of diseases of cardio-vascular system are also important in the process of deciphering blood tests. What is most important is the parallel symptoms. A patient who has had an ALAT blood test, and it turns out to be too high, should pay attention to the following symptoms:

burning pain in the heart area, which can radiate to the shoulder, jaw,
presence of shortness of breath,
frequent changes in heart rate,
blood pressure drop,
increased sweating,
severe weakness
nausea,
feeling of fear.

Often the cause of an increase in alanine amino acid in the body can be neoplasms. A person can suddenly lose weight, lose appetite, or become too weak in a short period of time. Only the attending physician should decipher the analysis values.

How is the diagnosis done?

First of all, the patient should understand that ALT increases due to the development of some disease. When the doctor accurately diagnoses and begins the correct therapy, the analysis should normalize over time. Often, the diagnosis of this indicator is carried out in conjunction with a biochemical blood test, but sometimes it is carried out on an emergency basis. Such cases may be myocardial infarction, liver cirrhosis, an attack of pancreatitis, etc.

The correct interpretation of the analysis must be done by a qualified doctor. Often, the de Retis index is used for decryption. This is the ratio of AST and ALT. The norm for these indicators should be in the range of 0.91-1.75. There is a rule that helps the doctor understand which organ is damaged.

Important! If the calculated indicator is above 2, then the reason for the increase in the enzyme lies in heart disease. When ALT is below 1, the patient's liver suffers.

Often, patients with an excessive amount of alanine amino acid are transferred to hospital treatment. For additional examination It is recommended to undergo an MRI, undergo extensive urine and blood tests, undergo vascular angiography, or take a puncture biopsy. The amount of transaminase may vary, so the doctor recommends taking tests again after the first stage of treatment.

Can ALT increase in pregnant women?

In adult women who are in the first trimester of pregnancy, a slight increase in the enzyme associated with transaminases can be diagnosed. This condition is not considered a pathology, but often this indicator should remain normal.

Alanine excess often occurs with gestosis. A woman’s liver simply cannot cope with the resulting load. Often, a pregnant woman remains in this state only for later. She may feel dizzy, severe weakness, and nausea. Only the attending physician should stabilize the condition during this period; taking any medications on your own is contraindicated. A negligent attitude towards one's own health during pregnancy can pose a threat of miscarriage.

Biochemical blood tests for ALT and AST are most often prescribed in the diagnosis of liver diseases. In some cases, the doctor prescribes these studies to the patient when diagnosing pathologies of the cardiovascular system and skeletal muscles. What do the designations AlAT and AST mean, and what can deviations of these indicators from the norm indicate?

Biochemical blood test for ALT

Alanine aminotransferase (AlAT) is an intracellular enzyme from the group of aminotransferases that takes part in the metabolism of amino acids.

The largest amount of alanine aminotransferase is found in liver and kidney cells. A slightly lower content of this enzyme in cardiac muscle cells, skeletal muscles, spleen, pancreas, lungs, red blood cells. ALT activity in the blood serum of men is slightly higher than that of women.

Indications for analysis

There are certain indications for conducting a blood test to determine the level of alanine aminotransferase:

diagnosing liver diseases;
control of patients with different types hepatitis;
examination in the outbreak viral hepatitis contact persons;
donor examination.

Norm

The ALT level in a blood test depends on age. In addition, the activity of this enzyme is slightly higher in men than in women.

The value of the ALT norm in a blood test in children under six months is less than 60 U/L, under one year – less than 54 U/L, under six years – less than 30 U/L, under 12 years – less than 38 U/L. For boys under 18 years of age, this figure should normally not exceed 27 U/l, for girls under 18 years of age – 24 U/l. For adult men, the normal value of ALT in the blood is less than 41 U/L, for adult women – less than 31 U/L.

Increased values

An increase in the value of alanine aminotransferase in a blood test is observed in the following pathologies:

viral hepatitis;
toxic liver damage;
cirrhosis of the liver;
primary or metastatic liver cancer;
fatty hepatosis;
obstructive jaundice;
severe pancreatitis;
hypoxia, shock (usually in an asthmatic state);
myocarditis, extensive myocardial infarction;
myodystrophy, myositis;
right heart failure;
severe burns;
chronic alcoholism;
some hemolytic diseases;
taking hepatotoxic drugs (immunosuppressants, antibiotics, anabolic steroids, psychotropic drugs, antitumor drugs, contraceptives, sulfa drugs, salicylates).

Reduced values

In most cases, the doctor prescribes blood tests for ALT and AST at the same time.

Aspartaminotransferase (AST) is an enzyme that is involved in the metabolism of amino acids. Its greatest amount is found in the cells of the liver, cardiac myocardium, nerve tissue, and muscles. This enzyme is also found in the cells of the pancreas, kidneys, and lungs. In case of damage and pathologies of the above organs, AST is released into bloodstream, and therefore its content in the blood test increases.

Indications for analysis

diagnosing liver pathologies;
diagnosis of myocardial infarction and some other diseases of the heart muscle;
diagnosing pathologies of skeletal muscles.

Norm

The AST level in the blood of children under 12 months should be no higher than 60 U/L, up to nine years old - no higher than 55 U/L, in adult men - less than 41 U/L, in adult women - less than 31 U/L.

Increased values

The level of aspartaminotransferase in the blood increases with the following diseases and conditions:

toxic, viral, alcoholic hepatitis;
primary and metastatic liver cancer;
acute pancreatitis;
cholestasis;
severe attack of angina, myocardial infarction;
pulmonary artery thrombosis;
angiocardiography, cardio surgical interventions;
rheumatic carditis in the acute stage;
myopathies ( chronic diseases muscles);
skeletal muscle injuries;
heatstroke;
burns.

A slight increase in AST is observed with excessive muscle load.

Reduced value

A decrease in the level of this enzyme in the blood indicates a deficiency of vitamin B6 in the body and severe liver pathologies (liver rupture).

Preparation for blood tests for ALT and AST

In order to avoid false deviations from the norm in blood tests for ALT, as well as AST, it is necessary to properly prepare for blood donation.

The day before blood sampling, you need to exclude fried, fatty, spicy foods, and alcoholic drinks from your diet. It is recommended to avoid increased physical activity.
Blood is taken for analysis in the morning on an empty stomach; at least eight hours must have passed since the last meal.
You should not donate blood for these studies immediately after fluorography, radiography, ultrasound, rectal examination, or physiotherapeutic procedures.
If the patient is taking any medications, he must notify the doctor prescribing the test. Some medications can significantly distort test results.

A competent interpretation of a biochemical blood test for ALT, as well as AST, can only be done by a qualified doctor.

If the energy metabolism of liver cells is disrupted due to an infectious lesion (for example, with the development of viral hepatitis), the permeability of membrane cells may increase, and cytolysis penetrates into the blood serum.

For a woman's body, the normal amount of alanine aminotransferase is up to 31 IU/l (international unit per liter), for a man - up to 41 IU per liter. In newborns, up to five days from birth, the maximum value should not exceed 49 IU per liter; in children over five days old and up to six months, the enzyme level can rise to 56 IU per liter. At the age of six months to one year, the norm for alanine aminotransferase is 54 IU per liter, from one year to three years - 33, and from three to six years it decreases to 29 IU per liter. An indicator of 39 IU per liter is considered normal in children aged six to twelve years; from twelve to seventeen, normal values for boys and girls differ from each other. So, for girls the norm is 24 IU per liter, and for boys - 27 IU.

Elevated alanine aminotransferase

The concentration of alanine aminotransferase in the blood becomes maximally high when hepatitis occurs - sometimes the norm is exceeded by 20, and sometimes by 100 times. In the case of metastases developing in the liver, minor fluctuations in the enzyme content can be observed, and when first-degree tumors occur, the indicators do not change at all. The concentration of alanine aminotransferase in the blood increases several times with steatosis or cirrhosis of the liver.

There are other reasons for an increase in the level of alanine aminotransferase in the blood: infectious, alcoholic hepatitis, severe burns, a state of shock suffered by the body, myocardial infarction, lymphoblast leukemia, myocarditis, acute pancreatitis, heart failure. It is not uncommon to observe an increase in alanine aminotransferase levels during the second trimester of pregnancy.

Some substances can also increase alanine aminotransferase concentrations in the blood, such as:

anabolic cholestatics and steroids;
oral contraceptives, estrogens, nicotinic acid;
ethanol and iron salts in excess;
metohifuoran and mercaptopurine;
methotrexate and methyldopa;
sulfonamides.

Treatment

To treat elevated levels of the alanine aminotransferase enzyme, the doctor prescribes therapy individually in each case, based on the patient’s characteristics. Using medications without consultation with a specialist may worsen the situation. If a patient is diagnosed with an increased concentration of ALT in the blood, this may signal the development of serious illnesses, such as: jaundice, liver cirrhosis, hypoxia in asthma, toxic shock syndrome, pancreatitis, heart attack, liver cancer, heart failure, myocarditis.

Also, the content of the ALT enzyme increases with: burns of a large part of the body, mononucleosis, chronic alcoholism, carnitine deficiency, long-term treatment sugar preparations sulfonylureas, long-term use salicylates, fibrate therapy.

To lower the level of ALT, therapy is prescribed for the disease that causes an increase in the concentration of the enzyme in the blood. Additionally, with the treatment of the underlying disease, they are used choleretic drugs, hepatoprotectors, digestion-improving agents.

In cases where an increase in the level of alanine aminotransferase in the blood is caused by therapy with sulfonylurea drugs, the course of diabetes treatment is reviewed and the patient is prescribed medications that do not reduce the amount of vitamin B12 and B6. With long-term therapy with salicylates and fibrates, they will have to be eliminated completely. If the patient has chronic diseases that require the mandatory use of these medications, the doctor finds alternative medications that do not affect the amount of ALT.

Self-medication for elevated level alanine aminotransferase is unacceptable, since the main therapy is still the elimination main reason increasing the concentration of the enzyme in the blood. All other means are concomitant therapy. Treatment is carried out over a long period of time with systematically repeated biochemical studies

Among the indicators of a biochemical blood test, the ALT factor is used as a diagnostic marker for many diseases. Decoding the abbreviation ALT (or AlAT) - alanine aminotransferase - gives some idea about the activity of the enzyme in the body: its functions include the breakdown of keto and amino acids included in cellular composition hepatocytes, cardiac muscle, kidney and liver cells.

With normal amino acid metabolism, the level of ALT in the blood is not high. If ALT is elevated, this means that there are interruptions in the activity of some organ. Diagnosis of diseases is carried out, of course, on the basis of other tests, in particular liver tests.

Features of normal ALT levels

The level of ALT in the blood is directly dependent on age, gender and functional features person. This is due to greater enzyme activity in the blood of men compared to women, as well as instability of growth in children. Therefore, in men, an ALT level of 41-45 U/L is considered normal, and in women – 31-34 U/L.

As for children, here normal level alanine aminotransferase decreases and increases extremely unevenly throughout the entire period of active growth of the child.

Another category where the ALT level can deviate greatly from the norm without special prerequisites is women in the first trimester of pregnancy. If during this period a blood test shows an excess of the factor by several tens of units, this does not mean that the pregnancy is pathological and can only indicate a change in the level of hormones in the woman’s body. Such a change in background is a physiologically based phenomenon and in adoption special measures does not need.

In what cases is a test for ALT levels in the blood prescribed?

Typically, the level of alanine aminotransferase is one of the indicators of a general biochemical blood test. But sometimes, for a number of reasons, the doctor may prescribe a special blood test to check for ALT levels.

The fact is that liver diseases, which can be asymptomatic until the appearance of characteristic jaundice, are manifested by an increase in alanine aminotransferase at the most early stages when treatment of the disease can be most effective.

Therefore, if there is any suspicion of hepatitis or cirrhosis, it is advisable to conduct such an analysis.

Indications for prescribing an ALT test may include symptoms such as:

nausea, vomiting;
discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract;
general weakness and increased fatigue;
yellowness of the eye sclera;
lightening of stool and darkening of urine.

As a rule, all these symptoms indicate the beginning serious problems with the liver, which is why the blood test is done in comparison with the liver test results.

If the analysis shows a significant excess of the norm of the endogenous enzyme, it makes sense to compare the samples and ALT values with the AST indicator - aspartate aminotransferase, which is a marker enzyme for deciphering the state of the myocardium. In order to verify the provoking cause of the increase in alanine aminotransferase, data from the so-called de Ritis coefficient is used, which is determined by the ratio of AST to ALT. An indicator of this coefficient of more than 2 means that a destructive process has begun in the heart muscle, and this means that there is a serious risk of developing myocardial infarction.

Typical diseases with elevated ALT

For the convenience of determining pathology, levels of ALT elevation are divided into three degrees:

high - an increase of 10 times or more;
average – from 6 to 10 times;
light – from 1.5 to 5 times.

The degree of enzyme increase shows the underlying pathology due to which the deviation occurred:

in case of uncomplicated myocardial infarction, the level of ALT increase is mild, however, parallel AST tests can determine the presence of an attack;
in case of cirrhosis, the degree of deviation exceeds the norm by 5 or more times, other symptoms may not be pronounced;
for pancreatitis, regular tests for ALT are recommended, since sometimes only they help prevent another attack;
in liver cancer, the degree of ALT deviation may become a decisive factor in deciding on surgical intervention;
with hepatitis A, the amount of enzyme can determine the disease a week before the onset of pronounced symptoms;
with viral and alcoholic hepatitis, a high degree of enzyme increase is observed.

Why does ALT increase?

An increase in ALT in the blood, both in men and women, can be caused by a number of reasons:

hepatitis;
mononucleosis – infectious disease manifested by changes in blood composition, damage to the spleen and liver;
lead poisoning;
taking drugs;
necrosis of malignant formation;
chemotherapy;
steatosis - hepatosis, the so-called fatty liver;
various types of surgical interventions, including myocardial catheterization;
increased physical and emotional stress, psychological shock;
damage to muscle tissue;
frequent consumption of alcoholic beverages;
the predominance of fast food in the diet;
taking certain medications - antibiotics, statins, barbiturates, contraceptive and therapeutic hormones, as well as corticosteroids for building muscle mass men.

In women on last weeks pregnancy, ALT activity in the direction of increase may indicate the onset of gestosis - a complication accompanied by nausea, dizziness, increased blood pressure and weakness.

Minor changes in samples can also be the result of poor-quality (non-sterile) analysis, so compliance with basic recommendations when donating blood for testing is mandatory.

Ways to lower ALT in the blood

To answer the question of how to reduce ALT in the blood, you must first find the reason for its increase.

Competent therapy for underlying diseases usually brings everything back to normal. laboratory parameters, which means correct diagnosis is the most important factor in success in reducing ALT in the blood.

In cases of increased performance due to harmful influence alcohol or drugs, or an unbalanced diet, methods such as abstaining from bad habits and following a diet that excludes fatty, spicy, smoked foods and processed foods that have harmful effects detrimental influence to the liver.

There are methods for forcibly reducing enzyme levels medications– Duphalac, Heptral or Hefitol, but their effect is short-lived, and if the underlying cause remains the same, the indicators will quickly return to their previous figures. In addition, most drugs have different side effects and negative influence on the liver, therefore their selection and prescription should be carried out strictly under medical supervision.

Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is sometimes elevated, but what does this mean? If an increase in this indicator is detected, it is necessary to conduct a more detailed examination and determine the causes of this phenomenon in order to begin treatment. An increase in ALAT may occur in different cases. But most often this happens with liver diseases. This is the largest gland, which plays an important role in the functioning of the entire body. An increase in ALT in the blood may indicate other diseases. This test can be prescribed both for prevention and in the presence of a number of symptoms.

Alanine aminotransferase - what is it?

Alanine aminotransferase is an enzyme produced by the liver. A small amount of it is also present in the kidneys, pancreas, heart muscle, and skeleton. This substance is involved in amino acid metabolism.

Under normal conditions, this enzyme can be found in the blood in small quantities. But if the organs in which it is included are damaged as a result of injury or disease, then the analysis will show that the level of ALAT is increased.

An enzyme level test allows for a quicker diagnosis of liver problems, gallbladder, pancreas, myocardium and skeleton. The ALT blood test is also prescribed to monitor the condition of the liver during hepatitis, during treatment medicines or to assess damage due to contact with toxic substances. Blood donors must also undergo this procedure.

You can find out what level of ALT is in the blood if you experience symptoms such as:

poor appetite;
discomfort in the abdominal area and flatulence;
change in the color of urine and feces;
yellow color of the skin and whites of the eyes;
constant weakness and decreased performance.

ALT is often determined together with aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels. This substance (the level in the blood is also elevated) makes it possible to diagnose problems with the liver and heart.

ALAT in the blood is determined using special research, for which it is necessary deoxygenated blood. To obtain accurate information, it is necessary to properly prepare for the blood donation procedure.

The patient must follow these recommendations:

Blood must be donated in the morning. Before this, you cannot eat anything for eight hours.
You are allowed to drink some clean water.
Two or three days before the test, you must give up alcohol, smoking, fatty foods, and limit physical and emotional stress.
If you use any medications, you must inform your specialist.

Norm and deviations

Normal alanine aminotransferase levels should be low. The amount of this enzyme in the body changes throughout life.

Children and adults should have the following ALT levels in their blood:

in the body of newborns and up to one year there should be no more than 55 units/l;
from one to three years - 34 units/l;
for children from three to six years old, 30 units/l is considered normal;

up to the age of twelve, the normal ALT level should not exceed 39 U/L;
for men, 45 units of ALT per liter of blood is considered normal;
in women's blood should be up to 35 units/l.

These standards are not exact. These are just approximate values. Depending on the quality of equipment and reagents used, results may vary slightly in different laboratories.

If alanine aminotransferase is elevated, your doctor should explain what this means. This usually indicates that an inflammatory process is occurring in the body.

If the ALT blood level is elevated, then to make a diagnosis it is also necessary to take into account the degree of increase. There are mild, moderate and pronounced increases. The first two degrees indicate the development of the disease, and the last - that the organ begins to collapse. Therefore, it is very important to determine the causes of increased ALT in the early stages of the disease.

Why is ALT elevated in the blood?

The cells of parenchymal organs, and especially the liver, are filled with transaminases. It is by this indicator that one can judge the condition of the organ. An increased ALT value can be detected with the slightest damage to an organ, in which cells begin to break down and the enzyme enters the blood plasma.

If alanine aminotransferase is elevated, then the causes of this phenomenon may lie in the following diseases:

ALAT may increase with hepatitis. There are several forms of this disease. If hepatitis is viral or chronic, then the level of alanine aminotransferase is slightly increased. In acute hepatitis, an increase of several tens of times can be observed.
An increased rate can be observed with obstructive jaundice, but in rare cases.
Liver cirrhosis can be detected by elevated enzyme levels. This disease may not manifest itself in the early stages of development, which poses a serious danger.

Liver cancer. Alanic acid may increase with oncological diseases. Most often, this type of cancer develops in people suffering from hepatitis.
With fatty liver disease - steatosis - you can observe an increase in ALT several times.
Exacerbation of pancreatitis can be diagnosed if high level aspartate aminotransferase in the blood.
Damage to the heart muscle. This condition is called myocarditis. It can be noticed by shortness of breath, weakness and elevated ALT levels.
Myocardial infarction. With this problem, the tissue of the heart muscle dies due to impaired blood flow. If the enzyme concentration increases tenfold or more, it means that after the attack the patient’s condition worsens.

ALT is higher than normal not only in cases of illness.

The following factors can also affect the enzyme content:

use hormonal drugs- oral contraceptives, steroids, fluoroquinolones, cephalosporins, aminoglycosides;
excessive physical activity;
the use of dietary supplements that contain substances that negatively affect the condition of the liver;
alcoholic drinks increase the enzyme content, so you should avoid alcohol for a week or two before donating blood;

Stress and emotional overstrain lead to disruption of work nervous system and the whole organism;
consumption of fatty foods, harmful additives, fast food, soda and other unhealthy foods.

Due to these reasons, the biochemistry result may show a slight increase in ALT.

A lower figure also does not mean anything good. This can occur with liver rupture, organ necrosis, or vitamin B6 deficiency. This condition can occur when using Aspirin, Interferon.

How to lower ALT

If the ALT level is elevated, only a specialist can explain what this means. Having received such results, you cannot ignore them. It is necessary to carry out comprehensive examination and find out the reason for the deviation.

You can lower ALT in the blood only by diagnosing and treating the underlying disease. Only a doctor knows what to do in such a situation.

Typically, hepatoprotectors, choleretic drugs, and agents to improve the digestion process are prescribed for the treatment of liver diseases. The patient must also follow a special diet. This allows you to improve organ function and reduce ALT.

In addition, the following measures must be taken:

If the increase in enzyme levels was caused by medications, then it is advisable to discontinue them and select alternative remedies.
It is also necessary to introduce more foods containing vitamin D into the diet. These foods include milk, eggs, fish, and green vegetables.
It is very important to lead healthy image life. Quit alcoholic drinks and smoking. Spend more time outdoors.
During the treatment process, it is necessary to periodically donate blood to determine the level of the enzyme to find out whether the prescribed therapy is effective or not.

Only a doctor can know how to reduce alanine aminotransferase levels. You cannot try to fix the problem yourself.

Medicines used in these cases may have serious side effects, therefore, the course of treatment should only be determined by a specialist.