Your liver quietly handles hundreds of jobs - filtering toxins, processing nutrients, making proteins. A liver function test (LFT) checks how well it is doing and whether its cells are under stress. Raised numbers can look alarming on a portal, but they range from harmless and temporary to genuinely important. Here is your liver function test explained, marker by marker.
The main markers
- ALT and AST - enzymes released when liver cells are inflamed or damaged
- ALP (alkaline phosphatase) - linked to bile ducts and also bone
- Bilirubin - a pigment that rises when the liver struggles to clear it, sometimes causing yellowing (jaundice)
- Albumin - a protein the liver makes; low levels can reflect poor liver function or other issues
- GGT - helps clarify whether a raised ALP is liver- or bone-related
What high liver enzymes can mean
Mildly high liver enzymes are common and often temporary - caused by a recent viral illness, alcohol, certain medications, intense exercise, or fatty liver linked to weight and metabolism. Larger or persistent elevations may point to hepatitis, bile duct problems or other conditions. The pattern across ALT, AST and ALP helps doctors narrow the cause.
Why context matters
A single abnormal reading rarely tells the whole story. Doctors look at how high the values are, which markers are raised together, your symptoms, alcohol use, medications and supplements, and whether the change is new. Many slightly elevated results simply need a repeat test in a few weeks.
Supplements count too
Some over-the-counter supplements and herbal products can stress the liver. Always tell your clinician everything you take, not just prescription medicines, when liver enzymes are raised.
Signs that need urgent care
Yellowing of the eyes or skin with severe abdominal pain, vomiting blood, black tarry stools, confusion or significant swelling are emergencies. Call 911 (US/Canada), 999 (UK) or 112 (EU) without delay.
Liver results are best read in context, and abnormal numbers usually call for a conversation rather than panic - or a self-directed cleanse. To understand your LFT results and whether you need repeat testing, imaging or a change in medication, you can consult a verified doctor on iHealix.