The liver is a crucial part of our body. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of our internal organs. However, it has been noticed that sedentary lifestyles have increased the rate of liver diseases. Almost 257 million people are living with liver conditions worldwide. These numbers are huge to resolve the problem. Liver enzymes are a protein in the liver that speed up the reactions of some chemicals.
Various conditions such as Liver issues, Chronic health issues, medications, and infections can cause Causes of High Liver Enzymes. In the case of an inhibitory process, this can result in severe problems. Therefore, it is essential to know the causes of high liver enzymes and what to do to prevent them.
What are elevated liver enzymes?
Individuals with more liver enzymes in the blood may develop high liver enzymes. These increased levels of liver enzymes are not normal and may cause transient or indicative medical conditions such as hepatitis or liver disease. Different types of liver enzymes are listed below:
- Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)
- Alanine Transaminase (ALT)
- Aspartate Transaminase (AST)
- Gamma-glutamyl Transferase (GGT)
There is a copious cause that elevates the liver enzymes in the blood. Let's glance at a few of them.
Also read: Top 10 Cod Liver Oil Benefits
What causes high liver enzymes?
High liver enzymes often occur due to harmless health conditions. These conditions are readily treated or resolved on their own. Among the most prevalent Causes of High Liver Enzymes are:
1. Pain Medications
Though taking acetaminophen for pain has little effect on the liver, taking too much can disrupt the function of the liver. People who drink alcohol regularly should avoid taking acetaminophen, which may cause an accumulation of toxic substances in the body. It can lead to death also if severe liver damage occurs with pain medications.
2. The statins Drugs
Statins drugs are used to decrease cholesterol which shows milder liver damage. Therefore, liver enzymes should be monitored if a person takes statin drugs. Do not abruptly stop your medications if you see your enzymes raised due to cholesterol medicine.
3. Heart failure
Many cases have shown low cardiac output has resulted in a reduction of hepatic flow. This leads to acute hepatic failure, which causes scarring of the liver. It develops the liver enzymes' elevation in the body. When hepatic congestion occurs, that increases central venous pressure and raises liver enzymes.
4. Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a liver condition when a virus starts attacking the liver, which causes inflammation. This raised alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase liver enzymes. Although it doesn't affect in the long term, sudden functional loss of the liver results in the increase of enzymes in the bloodstream.
5. Hepatitis B
A person affected by hepatitis B might have a chance of liver cell damage from the virus. The inflammation of the liver results in scarring, which raises the liver enzymes and starts leaking into the bloodstream. This is due to the immune system starting to detect the virus and special cells fighting with them, which causes inflammation and high enzymes as a defense mechanism.
6. Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C has also been shown to increase the viral load on the body and elevate the liver's serum. Mainly, aminotransferase increased clinically. The cause of this is when parenchyma cells get damaged; alanine transferase starts leaking into the blood, which causes increased liver enzymes.
7. Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Excessive fat builds up in the liver, which causes damage to the liver cells. These diseases mainly occur in people who do not drink alcohol. It is also denoted by non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. The scarring of the liver means fibrosis is mostly in this type of disease condition. This is irreversible, making it impossible to bring back a healthy liver. ALT and AST are typically seen as elevated non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
8. Obesity
This has been proven that the prevalence of increased liver enzymes is much higher in obese people with normal BMI. As obesity results in inflammation of liver diseases. Additionally, it also alters the metabolism that affects the liver.
9. Alcoholic Hepatitis
Alcoholic hepatitis causes inflammation of the liver caused by heavy drinking. The alcohol starts producing a toxic substance that triggers liver damage. It leads to an increase in liver enzymes, mainly AST and ALT, causing cirrhosis over time, resulting in lifelong liver damage.
10. Autoimmune Hepatitis
Autoimmune hepatitis is related to chronic inflammatory conditions where liver transaminase is elevated in the presence of antibodies. Moreover, there is also an increase in gamma globulin levels. It is when a person's immune system starts attacking viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens that cause chronic inflammation and severe liver dysfunction, which results in high liver enzymes.
11. Celiac Disease
The liver enzymes should be checked regularly if a person is affected by celiac disease. This results in a high liver enzyme range which causes extraintestinal symptoms of celiac. However, it returns to normal when a person goes on a gluten-free diet. In addition, liver abnormalities are common if a person suffers from celiac disease.
12. Cytomegalovirus
The high liver enzyme is a characteristic feature of cytomegalovirus infection in humans. The cytomegalovirus inflamed the liver and caused high liver enzymes and liver failure. The associated organs also get affected by these conditions, such as the lungs, esophagus, stomach, brain, and sleep.
A few Additional causes of high Liver enzymes are -
- Sepsis
- Polymyositis
- Wilson's Disease
- Thyroid
What are the high liver enzymes treatments?
You must consult a hepatologist(liver specialist) for immediate treatment if you are diagnosed with a high-level liver enzymes issue. High liver enzyme treatment options may vary depending on the causes of high levels of liver enzymes. Your doctor may recommend additional tests (Blood, liver function, etc.) and treatments to identify what is causing your increased liver enzymes.
How can you prevent elevated liver enzymes?
There are a couple of ways to decrease the level of enzymes in your body and make your liver healthier.
- Reduce alcohol intake
- Consume more caffeine
- Taking an organic and natural diet
- Eat fruits and vegetables
- Increase intake of dietary fiber
- Exercise regularly
- Weight reduction
- Quit smoking
- Avoid medication unless prescribed
Outlook -
Many diseases can severely damage the liver. However, it is crucial to have a health check of your liver function test from time to time. I have listed some causes which everyone should know. There are good doctors who you can visit if you get any abnormalities in your body. The liver is a crucial organ like the heart and brain. Therefore, it is mandatory to follow healthy routines to alleviate the critical liver enzyme value. The high liver enzyme can be resolved in an early stage which is why visiting a liver doctor or a hepatologist can be good for your good health.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the signs of fatty liver?
There are a few signs that can indicate fatty liver are:Â Ascites, Enlarged spleen, Red palms, Yellowing of the skin and eyes.
Which liver enzymes indicate liver damage?Â
The ALP shows the main liver enzymes, which indicate damage. The high ALP damaged hepatic function and may have also blocked the bile duct. Â
Can anxiety cause elevated liver enzymes?
Anxiety can transiently elevate liver enzyme levels.
Can stress cause elevated liver enzymes?
Stress can temporarily elevate liver enzyme levels, but sustained elevation may indicate underlying health concerns
What causes high liver enzymes?
High liver enzyme levels can be caused by various factors, including liver diseases, alcohol consumption, medications, infections, or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
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