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Liver Profile - P00026

The liver is an important organ in our body which is critical for our wellbeing. It produces a variety of substances including enzymes, which play a key role in numerous processes within our body. A liver profile is a blood test which helps to determine how well our liver is functioning and if there is any abnormality associated with it.

The liver profile test helps to evaluate the levels of various substances produced by the liver including, Total protein, Albumin, Bilirubin, Alkaline Phosphatase, SGOT, SGPT and Gamma GT. Some of these substances indicate any abnormality with the productive function of the liver, while others indicate that the liver might be releasing these substances in response to some damage elsewhere in the body.

The liver profile test is done to detect any abnormality in liver function, which might arise as a result of conditions like hepatitis, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. If you are a patient who has already been diagnosed with a type of liver disease, then you may have to routinely undergo this test in order to monitor response to medication. It is also done to determine the effects of certain medication on the liver.

Certain medication and food can have an effect on the liver function, therefore your healthcare provider may request you to avoid some of your medication and some types of food, before you undergo this test.

During this, a Medical Lab Technician will draw out a small volume of blood, using a needle and syringe which is inserted into a vein in your arm. This blood sample is then sent to the lab for analysis.

Since this test is a simple drawing of blood, you will not feel a lot of discomfort. You might experience a mild pain on inserting the needle, but you will not experience any uneasiness afterwards.

There is very little risk in undergoing a liver profile test, because it is a simple blood drawing. Very rarely you might continue to have a mild pain or some swelling at the site where the needle was inserted, but these symptoms will resolve on their own within a couple of days.

Since the liver profile gives you a measure of various substances in the body, each of the levels have to be evaluated carefully. Your target values should be as follows:
• ALT - should be between 7 - 55 U/L
• AST – should be between 8 - 48 U/L
• ALP – should be between 45 - 115 U/L
• Albumin – should be between 3.5 - 5.0 g/dL
• Total protein – should be between 6.3 - 7.9 g/dL
• Bilirubin – should be between 0.1 - 1.2 mg/dL
• GGT – should be between 9 - 48 U/L

If your results are showing values lower than or higher than the above, you have to seek medical advice immediately.

Certain food and medication that you consume can play a role in altering the levels of these substances, therefore you must always have a discussion with your doctor regarding this.