Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Are Elevated Liver Enzymes?SymptomsCausesTreatmentDiagnosisWhen to See a Healthcare ProviderFrequently Asked Questions

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Are Elevated Liver Enzymes?

Symptoms

Causes

Treatment

Diagnosis

When to See a Healthcare Provider

Frequently Asked Questions

Theliverplays a vital role in the body, like processing medications, removing toxins from the blood, and supporting nutrient absorption and transportation.

Changes in liver function can impact nearly every bodily system. If the liver is damaged or infected, it might release certain chemicals that can be detected during routine bloodwork. Healthcare providers routinely check liver function to make sure this essential organ is functioning effectively.

Elevatedliver enzymescan occur for many reasons. Most often, elevated liver enzymes are temporary and resolve on their own without treatment.Occasionally, elevated liver enzymes require additional tests to find out what’s going on.

This article explains elevated liver enzymes, including potential symptoms, causes, and treatments. It also provides information about when to see a healthcare provider and what to do if you learn that your liver enzymes are elevated.

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A healthcare provider explaining lab results to a patient.explaining lab results to a patient.

Types of Liver Disease and How to Treat Them

When the liver is injured or inflamed, it may release certain substances into the bloodstream. Elevated levels of these substances, including liver enzymes, might indicate a problem.

A simple blood test can detect liver enzyme levels. Your healthcare provider may discover elevated liver enzymes after a routine blood test during an annual physical, or they may test liver function if you have certain symptoms.

There are several different liver enzymes. A typicalliver function testmight assess the following liver enzymes:

Liver enzymes are just one piece of the puzzle. Liver function tests include several other markers and must be interpreted with respect to each individual, including their medical history, symptoms, and family history.

Symptoms of Elevated Liver Enzymes

Most individuals with elevated liver enzymes don’t experience any symptoms.In these cases, elevated liver enzymes may be detected during routine screening.

Others may have symptoms of liver disease that prompt testing, like:

Healthcare providers may also test liver function based on certain risk factors. These include:

Individuals with particular medical conditions may also undergo routine liver tests. People with severehypertension,lupus,diabetes, andcolon cancerare at an increased risk for developing liver disease and may require more routine screening.

Causes of Elevated Liver Enzymes

Elevated liver enzymes alone don’t indicate a specific disease or condition. Some individuals with elevated liver enzymes have no underlying cause and require no treatment.

Conversely, some individuals with severe liver impairment may have normal liver enzymes. For this reason, it’s important to work with your healthcare provider to discuss your complete medical history, test results, current medications, and symptoms.

Potential causes of elevated liver enzymes include:

There are many other possible causes of elevated liver function. Your healthcare provider can help you understand why your liver enzymes might be elevated.

What Medications Can Cause Elevated Liver Enzymes?

The liver helps process many different medications that may result in altered liver enzymes. Your healthcare provider may sometimes test liver function before starting certain medications and repeat this test throughout your treatment to ensure that your liver function is doing well.

While there aremany medicationsthat can affect liver enzymes, these are some of the most common:

It’s important to tell your healthcare provider about all medications you take, including herbal medications, OTC drugs, and recreational drug use.

Tylenol and Liver Enzymes

How to Treat Elevated Liver Enzymes

Elevated liver enzymes are only a sign of liver function, not a diagnostic tool. Your healthcare provider will need to conduct other tests to determine the cause of your elevated liver enzymes and determine the right course of treatment.

Elevated liver enzymes may result from a temporary infection or medication usage that requires no treatment. If your liver enzymes are only mildly elevated and you have no other symptoms or risk factors, your healthcare provider may choose to wait or retest at a later date.

If your healthcare provider has concerns about your elevated liver enzymes, they may do additional testing to determine the cause. Once they determine the source of your elevated liver enzymes, they can tailor the treatment to suit your particular problem.

Are There Tests to Detect the Cause of Elevated Liver Enzymes?

There are several tests that can provide additional information about your elevated liver enzymes.

If your healthcare provider is concerned about your elevated liver enzymes, they may choose one or more of these tests to collect additional information.

Elevated liver enzymes are typically detected during routine screenings or as part of an examination for another issue.

However, if you are experiencing symptoms of liver failure, like jaundice, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, or fatigue, it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider.

If you have a close family member with liver disease or concerns about alcohol use disorder or IV drug use, it’s a good idea to speak with your healthcare provider since these conditions may increase your risk of liver problems.

There are certain conditions that may arise in pregnancy, includingpreeclampsiaandHELLP syndrome,intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy(ICP), and acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP).Talk to your healthcare provider right away if you are pregnant and have symptoms like headache, abnormal swelling of the hands and feet, abdominal pain, itching, or jaundice.

Summary

A Word From Verywell

It can be concerning to receive abnormal lab results, but elevated liver enzymes aren’t a reason to panic, especially in the absence of other risk factors or symptoms.

Frequently Asked QuestionsThere are many potential causes of elevated liver enzymes, from minor infections or illnesses to serious liver disease or cancer. Your healthcare provider can help you understand your lab results based on your symptoms, medication and alcohol use, family history, and other test results.Learn MoreWhat to Expect During Liver Function TestsElevated liver enzymes are usually detected during routine bloodwork. Most individuals do not have symptoms. If your healthcare provider is concerned about your elevated liver enzymes, they may conduct additional tests to determine the cause of your abnormal lab results.Learn MoreUnderstanding Common Blood Tests and What They MeanYou can support your liver function through a healthy lifestyle, including a nutritious diet, regular exercise, limited alcohol use, and maintaining a healthy weight. It’s also important to speak with your healthcare provider about any medication use, including herbal supplements.Learn MoreThree herbs for liver health

There are many potential causes of elevated liver enzymes, from minor infections or illnesses to serious liver disease or cancer. Your healthcare provider can help you understand your lab results based on your symptoms, medication and alcohol use, family history, and other test results.Learn MoreWhat to Expect During Liver Function Tests

There are many potential causes of elevated liver enzymes, from minor infections or illnesses to serious liver disease or cancer. Your healthcare provider can help you understand your lab results based on your symptoms, medication and alcohol use, family history, and other test results.

Learn MoreWhat to Expect During Liver Function Tests

Elevated liver enzymes are usually detected during routine bloodwork. Most individuals do not have symptoms. If your healthcare provider is concerned about your elevated liver enzymes, they may conduct additional tests to determine the cause of your abnormal lab results.Learn MoreUnderstanding Common Blood Tests and What They Mean

Elevated liver enzymes are usually detected during routine bloodwork. Most individuals do not have symptoms. If your healthcare provider is concerned about your elevated liver enzymes, they may conduct additional tests to determine the cause of your abnormal lab results.

Learn MoreUnderstanding Common Blood Tests and What They Mean

You can support your liver function through a healthy lifestyle, including a nutritious diet, regular exercise, limited alcohol use, and maintaining a healthy weight. It’s also important to speak with your healthcare provider about any medication use, including herbal supplements.Learn MoreThree herbs for liver health

You can support your liver function through a healthy lifestyle, including a nutritious diet, regular exercise, limited alcohol use, and maintaining a healthy weight. It’s also important to speak with your healthcare provider about any medication use, including herbal supplements.

Learn MoreThree herbs for liver health

7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library.Liver: anatomy and function.Elevated liver enzymes.Am Fam Physician. 2017;96(11).Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library.Common liver tests.UpToDate.Approach to the patient with abnormal liver and biochemical function tests.Harvard Health Publishing.Acetaminophen safety: be cautious but not afraid.Afdhal NH.Fibroscan (transient elastography) for the measurement of liver fibrosis.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2012;8(9):605-607.Ahmed KT, Almashhrawi AA, Rahman RN, Hammoud GM, Ibdah JA.Liver diseases in pregnancy: diseases unique to pregnancy.World J Gastroenterol. 2013;19(43):7639-7646. doi:10.3748/wjg.v19.i43.7639

7 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library.Liver: anatomy and function.Elevated liver enzymes.Am Fam Physician. 2017;96(11).Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library.Common liver tests.UpToDate.Approach to the patient with abnormal liver and biochemical function tests.Harvard Health Publishing.Acetaminophen safety: be cautious but not afraid.Afdhal NH.Fibroscan (transient elastography) for the measurement of liver fibrosis.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2012;8(9):605-607.Ahmed KT, Almashhrawi AA, Rahman RN, Hammoud GM, Ibdah JA.Liver diseases in pregnancy: diseases unique to pregnancy.World J Gastroenterol. 2013;19(43):7639-7646. doi:10.3748/wjg.v19.i43.7639

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library.Liver: anatomy and function.Elevated liver enzymes.Am Fam Physician. 2017;96(11).Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library.Common liver tests.UpToDate.Approach to the patient with abnormal liver and biochemical function tests.Harvard Health Publishing.Acetaminophen safety: be cautious but not afraid.Afdhal NH.Fibroscan (transient elastography) for the measurement of liver fibrosis.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2012;8(9):605-607.Ahmed KT, Almashhrawi AA, Rahman RN, Hammoud GM, Ibdah JA.Liver diseases in pregnancy: diseases unique to pregnancy.World J Gastroenterol. 2013;19(43):7639-7646. doi:10.3748/wjg.v19.i43.7639

Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library.Liver: anatomy and function.

Elevated liver enzymes.Am Fam Physician. 2017;96(11).

Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library.Common liver tests.

UpToDate.Approach to the patient with abnormal liver and biochemical function tests.

Harvard Health Publishing.Acetaminophen safety: be cautious but not afraid.

Afdhal NH.Fibroscan (transient elastography) for the measurement of liver fibrosis.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2012;8(9):605-607.

Ahmed KT, Almashhrawi AA, Rahman RN, Hammoud GM, Ibdah JA.Liver diseases in pregnancy: diseases unique to pregnancy.World J Gastroenterol. 2013;19(43):7639-7646. doi:10.3748/wjg.v19.i43.7639

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