[h=1]How to Read Your Liver Blood Test Results[/h]Alright everyone, lets talk about blood tests. Bloodtests can be very useful for your longevity as a juicer. Regular bloodtests can go a long way to preserving your health while you get huge, as well as giving you early warning signs if your body is under stress. It is very easy to go for months of being on sauce and not going off or getting a blood test. Bloodtests are extremely important. Please utilize them. This is how to read your bloodtest regarding your liver. Remember, your liver is your primary filtering organ of your entire system. Everything you eat drink, and every drug you take is eventually filtered by your liver. Without a healthy liver, you cannot have a healthy body, none the less a huge one. So read on and pay attention. When you get your blood work done, always ask your doctor for a copy so you can examine it for yourself. If you have an alarmist for a doctor, you will definitley want to determine the results for yourself. Many doctors who are unfamiliar with anabolic steroids will tell you that you are going to die from slightly elevated AST or ALT enzymes. What is an AST or ALT enzyme? Read on...
Aminotransferases also known as Transaminases- Liver Enzymes
Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT or SGPT)
ALT is more liver specific than AST. When this enzyme is elevated, there is a good chance that your liver is under stress or may be damaged. There are only low concentrations of this enzyme in skeletal muscles and in the kidney. This enzyme has one is said to be a high 'specificity' for liver stress/strain.
Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST or SGOT)
AST is found more abundantly in the kidney and in skeletal muscle, brain and red blood cells. For this reason, an elevated level of AST is not as SPECIFIC for liver damage/stress as is ALT. However, elevated AST in the presence of elevated ALT heightens the likelihood that liver damage or stress is present.
Cholestatic Enzymes:
Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP or AP) and Gamma-glutamyl Transferase (GGT)
ALP is found in high concentrations in bone and liver. Lesser amounts are present in the intestines, kidneys or leukocyets (white blood cells). ALP is not a huge marker of liver damage unless it is accommodated by other elevated liver enzymes.
Gamma-glutamyl Transferase (GGT)
GGT is found mostly in the liver. It is one of the biggest markers of liver function. GGT is a microsomal enzyme that is very sensitive to hepatotoxic drugs (for our purposes, anabolic steroids). Elevated GGT in the presence of elevated AST and more specifically ALT tell us to back off the juice and give it a break for a while. In this case, you should have your blood tested before beginning another cycle, even after your break. By doing this, you make sure that the liver has had a chance to regenerate itself before stressing it again with anabolics (especially if you are planning to use orals).
Here are some normal figures for these enzymes based off my most recent personal blood test and how you will see them on your blood test:
ALT normal range is 10-40 U/L (units per liter)
AST normal range is 15-50 U/L (units per liter)
ALP normal range is 37-116 U/L (units per liter)
GGT normal range is 3-60 IU/L (international units per liter)
So, make sure to look at the AST and ALT numbers, they are on every basic blood test. The GGT enzyme is not always on the blood test, doctors have to mark this one specifically, and unless they suspect that something is wrong, do not usually order this enzyme to be tested. You can ask them to test this one for you. However, if your AST and ALT are both within the normal range, you can be 99% assured that nothing is wrong with your liver.
If AST and ALT are elevated out of the normal range, at the very least, go off the juice for a while. It would be smart at this point to get another blood test with GGT included to confirm whether or not the liver is truly under damage. Remember, the most accurate way to know if your liver is damaged/stressed, is to look at the AST/ALT numbers and also the GGT. If all of them are high, you better take a break until they are under control. At the very least, you will want the GGT to be in normal range before going back on the sauce. Remember, GGT is the most accurate predictor of liver stress when accomodated by elevated AST or ALT (either one or both enzymes).
While you are off you will want to pay special attention to your anti-oxidant intake and take a good daily dosage of silymarin (milk thistle). The amino acid NAC also has hepato-protective and reguvenative effects. NAC at a dose of 600mg twice per day and milk thistle, at least 125mg standard extract twice per day. Drink plenty of water as well-at least .5ounces per pound of bodyweight.
Aminotransferases also known as Transaminases- Liver Enzymes
Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT or SGPT)
ALT is more liver specific than AST. When this enzyme is elevated, there is a good chance that your liver is under stress or may be damaged. There are only low concentrations of this enzyme in skeletal muscles and in the kidney. This enzyme has one is said to be a high 'specificity' for liver stress/strain.
Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST or SGOT)
AST is found more abundantly in the kidney and in skeletal muscle, brain and red blood cells. For this reason, an elevated level of AST is not as SPECIFIC for liver damage/stress as is ALT. However, elevated AST in the presence of elevated ALT heightens the likelihood that liver damage or stress is present.
Cholestatic Enzymes:
Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP or AP) and Gamma-glutamyl Transferase (GGT)
ALP is found in high concentrations in bone and liver. Lesser amounts are present in the intestines, kidneys or leukocyets (white blood cells). ALP is not a huge marker of liver damage unless it is accommodated by other elevated liver enzymes.
Gamma-glutamyl Transferase (GGT)
GGT is found mostly in the liver. It is one of the biggest markers of liver function. GGT is a microsomal enzyme that is very sensitive to hepatotoxic drugs (for our purposes, anabolic steroids). Elevated GGT in the presence of elevated AST and more specifically ALT tell us to back off the juice and give it a break for a while. In this case, you should have your blood tested before beginning another cycle, even after your break. By doing this, you make sure that the liver has had a chance to regenerate itself before stressing it again with anabolics (especially if you are planning to use orals).
Here are some normal figures for these enzymes based off my most recent personal blood test and how you will see them on your blood test:
ALT normal range is 10-40 U/L (units per liter)
AST normal range is 15-50 U/L (units per liter)
ALP normal range is 37-116 U/L (units per liter)
GGT normal range is 3-60 IU/L (international units per liter)
So, make sure to look at the AST and ALT numbers, they are on every basic blood test. The GGT enzyme is not always on the blood test, doctors have to mark this one specifically, and unless they suspect that something is wrong, do not usually order this enzyme to be tested. You can ask them to test this one for you. However, if your AST and ALT are both within the normal range, you can be 99% assured that nothing is wrong with your liver.
If AST and ALT are elevated out of the normal range, at the very least, go off the juice for a while. It would be smart at this point to get another blood test with GGT included to confirm whether or not the liver is truly under damage. Remember, the most accurate way to know if your liver is damaged/stressed, is to look at the AST/ALT numbers and also the GGT. If all of them are high, you better take a break until they are under control. At the very least, you will want the GGT to be in normal range before going back on the sauce. Remember, GGT is the most accurate predictor of liver stress when accomodated by elevated AST or ALT (either one or both enzymes).
While you are off you will want to pay special attention to your anti-oxidant intake and take a good daily dosage of silymarin (milk thistle). The amino acid NAC also has hepato-protective and reguvenative effects. NAC at a dose of 600mg twice per day and milk thistle, at least 125mg standard extract twice per day. Drink plenty of water as well-at least .5ounces per pound of bodyweight.
