How To Test Liver Status

[north]

Which tests should one get to determine liver status. I know they offer ALAT and ASAT but i don't know if those are legit and covers it or if more are needed?

Thanks!

 

[haidut]

Which tests should one get to determine liver status. I know they offer ALAT and ASAT but i don't know if those are legit and covers it or if more are needed?

Thanks!

You should get the standard 3 tests - ALT, AST, ALP. These however only measure if the liver is injured. Quite a few people with fatty liver have normal enzymes or only slightly elevated. In addition to that, to get an idea of the working of the liver you should get tests for GGT, albumin, globulin, and billirubin. In general, you want billirubin to be on the low side, albumin on the high side, and globulin in the middle.

 

[Mateo Wiechers]

You should get the standard 3 tests - ALT, AST, ALP. These however only measure if the liver is injured. Quite a few people with fatty liver have normal enzymes or only slightly elevated. In addition to that, to get an idea of the working of the liver you should get tests for GGT, albumin, globulin, and billirubin. In general, you want billirubin to be on the low side, albumin on the high side, and globulin in the middle.

Hello Haidut,
What does it mean if Albumin and Billirubin are as you mentioned (high and low), but Globulin is low?

 

[haidut]

Hello Haidut,
What does it mean if Albumin and Billirubin are as you mentioned (high and low), but Globulin is low?

Usually poor protein utilization due to high stress hormones and/or low thyroid. Was urea (BUN) high as well?

 

[Mateo Wiechers]

Usually poor protein utilization due to high stress hormones and/or low thyroid. Was urea (BUN) high as well?

It was 14.5 mg/dl (in The normal range), but i get episodes of hypoglycemia and suspect high serotonin. Albumin was 4.7

 

[haidut]

It was 14.5 mg/dl (in The normal range), but i get episodes of hypoglycemia and suspect high serotonin. Albumin was 4.7

I would check cortisol and androgens. Also, was BUN/creatinine high, despite normal BUN?

 

[Mateo Wiechers]

I would check cortisol and androgens. Also, was BUN/creatinine high, despite normal BUN?

BUN/creatinine was 14.0 also in The normal range. But The inmunoglobulins M and G where also low. I was thinking about supplementing Vitamin D. What do you think? Thank you.

 

[Tenacity]

You should get the standard 3 tests - ALT, AST, ALP. These however only measure if the liver is injured. Quite a few people with fatty liver have normal enzymes or only slightly elevated. In addition to that, to get an idea of the working of the liver you should get tests for GGT, albumin, globulin, and billirubin. In general, you want billirubin to be on the low side, albumin on the high side, and globulin in the middle.

I just checked my latest tests for albumin, globulin and bilirubin and they were exactly how you described they should be (51 g/l, 27 g/l and 6 umol/L respectivey). Do you think this would suggest I am detoxifying estrogen just fine? Any idea why progest-e had no clear effect at 100mg of progesterone despite this? I was oriented in the direction that my liver was the central issue with my estrogen dominance due to past issues with hypoglycemia, and niacinamide making some difference, but now I'm confused. I do have high prolactin (14 ng/mL) if that helps.

 

[haidut]

I just checked my latest tests for albumin, globulin and bilirubin and they were exactly how you described they should be (51 g/l, 27 g/l and 6 umol/L respectivey). Do you think this would suggest I am detoxifying estrogen just fine? Any idea why progest-e had no clear effect at 100mg of progesterone despite this? I was oriented in the direction that my liver was the central issue with my estrogen dominance due to past issues with hypoglycemia, and niacinamide making some difference, but now I'm confused. I do have high prolactin (14 ng/mL) if that helps.

If liver is OK then it could be just high estrogen in tissues, corroborated by the less than optimal prolactin. If prolactin is dropping over time while taking the progesterone, then it is having an effect but takes longer to get to optimal levels for some reason.

 

[haidut]

BUN/creatinine was 14.0 also in The normal range. But The inmunoglobulins M and G where also low. I was thinking about supplementing Vitamin D. What do you think? Thank you.

Vitamin D is usually a good idea in fall/winter, especially if blood levels are less than 50.

 

[Tenacity]

If liver is OK then it could be just high estrogen in tissues, corroborated by the less than optimal prolactin. If prolactin is dropping over time while taking the progesterone, then it is having an effect but takes longer to get to optimal levels for some reason.

It seems like problems can crop up even after the damaging factors (PUFA, stress, etc.) have been eliminated. I had been eating low PUFA for about three years, but I developed hyperPOTS last August. Yet, temperature is now pretty good (consistently above 98), liver panel is fine, etc. I'll keep doing the things I believe to be helping and start taking progesterone again soon, getting some more blood tests for prolactin before and after using it. Do you think it's possible for progesterone to begin having a noticeable effect using the same dose repeatedly, even if previously it had no noticeable effect? Thanks!

 

[ecstatichamster]

It seems like problems can crop up even after the damaging factors (PUFA, stress, etc.) have been eliminated. I had been eating low PUFA for about three years, but I developed hyperPOTS last August. Yet, temperature is now pretty good (consistently above 98), liver panel is fine, etc. I'll keep doing the things I believe to be helping and start taking progesterone again soon, getting some more blood tests for prolactin before and after using it. Do you think it's possible for progesterone to begin having a noticeable effect using the same dose repeatedly, even if previously it had no noticeable effect? Thanks!

How’s your tsh?

 

[Tenacity]

How’s your tsh?

I've had it measured three times. 1.57, 1.79 and then 1.37. I know it's not optimal. Why?

 

[Mateo Wiechers]

Vitamin D is usually a good idea in fall/winter, especially if blood levels are less than 50.

Do you think that low levels of immunoglobulins can be The cause of high Serotonin? I get a sort of depression every time my blood sugar gets low and suspect histamine and/or serotonin to be the cause.

 

[haidut]

Do you think that low levels of immunoglobulins can be The cause of high Serotonin? I get a sort of depression every time my blood sugar gets low and suspect histamine and/or serotonin to be the cause.

When blood sugar gets low and lipolysis is increased, the elevated FFA displace tryptophan from albumin and allow it to accumulate in the brain. This leads to increased serotonin in the brain and is the so-called "central fatigue hypothesis" - i.e. why prolonged stressful activity such a long-distance run leads to profound fatigue even though there is plenty of fuel floating around for the cells to use to continue activity.

 

[Kyle Bigman]

You should get the standard 3 tests - ALT, AST, ALP. These however only measure if the liver is injured. Quite a few people with fatty liver have normal enzymes or only slightly elevated. In addition to that, to get an idea of the working of the liver you should get tests for GGT, albumin, globulin, and billirubin. In general, you want billirubin to be on the low side, albumin on the high side, and globulin in the middle.

What if liver enzymes are within the normal range but bilirubin levels are always slightly elevated? I was diagnosed with "Gilbert's syndrome" [and I also have low Ceruloplasmin, not sure if that is relevant]. Do you know any way to improve bilirubin levels, or what these raised levels indicate?

 

[haidut]

What if liver enzymes are within the normal range but bilirubin levels are always slightly elevated? I was diagnosed with "Gilbert's syndrome" [and I also have low Ceruloplasmin, not sure if that is relevant]. Do you know any way to improve bilirubin levels, or what these raised levels indicate?

Inducers of CYP450 like phenobarbital are typically used for such cases. I think it is likely related to estrogen excess. Niacinamide is another potent CYP450 inducer so it can be tried as well. I think the HED based on animal trials was 500mg-750mg daily, which if higher than Peat recommends but probably still safe.

 

[SOMO]

Any way to specifically lower AST if ALT is in normal range?