Elevated Liver Enzymes Symptoms

Liver is a one such glandular organ of our body that carries out some of the most complicated tasks. It regulates blood sugar levels, metabolizes cholesterol and fatty substances obtained from food, removes all the toxins that enter our body through pollutants, drugs and alcohol, etc. When a person is suffering from any liver disease, it is likely that the liver enzymes will get elevated. Apart from that, there are various other health disorders that can cause this problem. Some of those factors responsible for it are: autoimmune diseases, diabetes, gallstones, side effects of medicines, alcohol consumption, etc. In most cases, it has been found that it is just a temporary condition and is not a sign of any major liver damage.

What Does High Liver Enzymes Mean?
High liver enzymes means that the liver is not functioning properly. In other words, it signifies that some inflammation or damage has occurred in the liver cells which has led to the release of excess amount of liver enzymes into the bloodstream. There are two specific liver enzymes that get elevated in this condition. They are: Alanine Transaminase (ALT) and Aspartate Transaminase (AST). For this reason, elevated liver enzymes is often referred by the term elevated transaminases or transaminitis. When there is a nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, the ALT levels are mostly higher than the AST levels. However, in cases of alcoholic liver disease, it is the AST levels which is likely to go up abnormally.

Elevated Liver Enzymes Symptoms
Symptoms of elevated liver enzymes are quite different in every individual case. There are some people with high liver enzymes who may not get any symptoms at all. Following are some of the identifiable symptoms that are found in patients suffering from this condition:

Jaundice is the most obvious sign of elevation in the levels of liver enzymes. It results in yellowish coloring of the skin, white part of the eyes and mucous membranes present inside the mouth. It is often accompanied by general weakness, exhaustion, fatigue, dark urine and abdominal pain.

The liver releases bile, a digestive juice into the intestines for absorption of fat in the body. If the bile duct get blocked, then the digestive juice would flow through the blood instead of the intestines. As a result, stools light in color is produced.

Mild to severe localized skin itching is another symptom which is quite common. Due to improper functioning of the liver, the toxins present in the body are no longer eliminated and they get accumulated in the skin and blood which gives a continuous itching sensation.

Abnormal swelling in the lower part of the body like the ankles, feet and legs is an indication of high levels of liver enzymes. This happens mainly because the waste matter of the body is not managed properly by the liver.

Elevated Liver Enzymes Treatment
Elevation in liver enzymes is detected with the help of liver function tests that include a series of blood tests that can measure the levels of the liver enzymes in it. If required, other laboratory tests like ultrasound, CT scan, X-ray, etc. are conducted. After that, doctors try to identify the actual cause behind the problem. The treatment mainly involves curing the health disorder that interferes with the liver functions. Once the disease is treated successfully and normal functioning of the liver is restored, the level of liver enzymes will go down. If it is caused by side effects of any medicine, then it should be discontinued. These patients have to bring about some changes in their diet and lifestyle. They have to eat fresh fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidant vitamins and reduce intake of fatty foods. They should exercise regularly to improve overall health condition. Doctors also advise them to cut down on alcohol consumption in order to bring down the liver enzymes levels.

Some people fail to identify elevated liver enzymes symptoms due to lack of knowledge and they develop serious health complications later. Now, that you are aware of these symptoms, if you notice any of them, you should visit a health care professional immediately for proper treatment.