The liver is a vital organ that helps to process nutrients, hormones and other substances in the body. It also helps to regulate blood pressure and digestion by processing fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
The liver produces many different enzymes that break down these substances into smaller pieces so that they can be used by cells throughout your body. Liver function tests are a common part of a medical diagnosis.
A doctor can use the results to give you an idea about what’s going on with your liver, how your body responds to treatment, and what other treatments may be needed. Before taking an LFT test, you must know the most common liver function tests available.
Table of Contents
1. Alanine Transaminase
ALT is an enzyme that measures the amount of alanine in your blood which can be caused by drinking too much alcohol (more than 2 drinks per day) or eating large amounts of protein-rich foods like meat or eggs. It’s a common LFT test and is often used as part of a comprehensive medical history and physical exam.
2. Aspartate transaminase
Aspartate transaminase (AST or SGOT) is a liver enzyme that helps to break down proteins. It is released into the bloodstream, where it can be measured to help determine how well your liver functions.
AST is measured as part of a complete blood count (CBC). A CBC measures the number and type of blood cells in your body and provides useful information about overall health.
3. Gamma-glutamyl transferase
This enzyme helps break down proteins, including some important for your liver’s function. GGT is found in the liver and kidneys. It also can be found in your stomach but at lower levels than in either organ.
4. Alkaline Phosphatase
ALP is a liver enzyme that plays an important role in bone formation. Elevated levels can indicate liver damage, but they are also often found in cirrhosis and hepatitis C cases.
5. Blood test
Another common test is a blood test for total protein and albumin. Total protein and albumin are both proteins that can be measured in the blood or urine, but they’re not the same thing.
Albumin is a water-soluble protein that occurs naturally in the body; it’s found in blood plasma (the liquid part of your blood) and urine, which helps regulate fluid balance by helping transport water to other body parts when you drink or urinate.
Total protein measures how much total protein there is in your bloodstream: it includes both soluble (albumin) and insoluble (globulins) forms of these molecules along with any other kinds of proteins present at high levels (such as globulin).
These values are used as an index for overall health status because they reflect internal organs’ ability to make new cells while maintaining existing ones—a process called growth factor production—and their ability to absorb nutrients efficiently from food sources consumed over time.”
Conclusion
Liver function tests are blood tests that are used to measure the number of enzymes and proteins produced by the liver. The test checks for abnormal levels of these substances in your body. It can also monitor changes in liver disease, such as chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis (scarring). Before going for an LFT test, check and compare the LFT test price to choose the ideal one.
Many different liver function tests can be done to look at the health of your liver. We recommend that you speak with your doctor if you have any concerns about your liver so they can help keep it healthy and prevent any problems from developing.