Liver
8 markers in this category
ALP (Alkaline Phosphatase)
Alkaline phosphatase, usually shortened to ALP on a report, is an enzyme found in almost every tissue. Two sources account for nearly all of what reaches the blood. The first is the liver, and within it mainly the cells lining the small bile ducts. The second is bone, where the enzyme is released as new bone tissue is built. A raised result therefore does not yet say where the rise came from. That question is not answered by this one number. It is answered by the values beside it, by your age and by your situation.
ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase)
Your ALT value shows how much alanine aminotransferase is in your blood. This enzyme sits mainly in the liver. That makes ALT the most liver-specific of the routine enzymes. When it reaches the blood, liver cells have been damaged. In adult men the reference range runs to 45 u/l, and in women to 34 u/l. A mildly raised result is common and has several causes. Fatty liver leads that list, well ahead of alcohol and hepatitis.
AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase)
Your AST value shows how much aspartate aminotransferase is circulating in your blood. It is an enzyme that leaks out whenever cells are damaged. AST sits in the liver, but equally in skeletal muscle, heart muscle, kidneys, brain and red blood cells. That is why a raised AST is not, on its own, a liver value. A hard training session the day before explains the result more often than liver disease does. The reference range runs up to 35 u/l in men and 31 u/l in women. What the number means only becomes clear alongside ALT, gamma-GT and CK.
Albumin
Albumin is the most abundant protein in the blood, produced by the liver. It maintains fluid balance, transports hormones and nutrients, and serves as an indicator of liver and kidney function.
Bilirubin (Direct)
Direct (conjugated) bilirubin is the water-soluble form of bilirubin that has been processed by the liver. Elevated levels may indicate bile duct obstruction or liver disease and are an important component of liver function assessment.
Bilirubin (Indirect)
Indirect bilirubin is the part of your bilirubin that your liver has not yet processed. The value is not measured separately but calculated: your total bilirubin minus your direct bilirubin, in the same unit. That split helps to show where an abnormal total is coming from. This page explains what your indirect bilirubin result can mean.
Bilirubin (Total)
Total bilirubin measures the combined amount of direct and indirect bilirubin in your blood. Bilirubin is a waste product formed during the normal breakdown of red blood cells, and elevated levels may indicate liver disease, bile duct problems, or increased red blood cell destruction.
GGT (Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase)
GGT (gamma-glutamyl transferase) is a liver and bile duct enzyme that serves as one of the most sensitive markers for hepatobiliary disorders. It is particularly responsive to alcohol consumption and may be elevated in bile duct obstruction, liver disease, and with certain medications.