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SGPT Normal Range: Overview

The liver in the human body is considered to be a very crucial organ. It is the site for removing all toxins from the body and the blood. The liver also breaks down the blood components to extract the nutrients, metabolizes the medication, and eliminates toxic elements from everything we consume. The liver also excretes bile which aids in transporting the waste material to the excretory organs.

Given this important functionality, the liver’s health is crucial for you to lead a healthy life. Hence, there are certain tests that will be prescribed by doctors to help diagnose and monitor your liver health. One such test is to check for the sgpt normal range. This test checks for the level of the liver enzyme SGPT in the collected blood sample.

What is SGPT?

SGPT stands for serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase enzyme, also known as Alanine Aminotransferase or ALT. This is one of the aminotransferase enzymes that is predominantly used to check for the health of the liver. This SGPT can be found in the heart; hence, in case of a heart attack, your blood will have an elevated level of SGPT enzyme. The main function of SGPT in the liver is to catalyze the two main components present in the alanine cycle— L-alanine to α-ketoglutarate. This is a reversible process, and once the function of alpha-ketoglutarate is completed, it is reversed to its original L-alanine form.

The other test that checks for the functioning of the liver is the SGOT or glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase. This enzyme is also known as aspartate transaminase or AST. Both sgot and sgpt are tested to pinpoint the cause of the appearance of the symptoms that would indicate damage to the liver. But let us know more about sgpt normal range, and what higher or lower levels mean.

Purposes of SGPT Blood Test

As mentioned above, SGPT is prescribed when the doctors suggest that the symptoms observed in the patient are related to improper liver functioning. The presence of SGPT in the blood is possible only when the liver is acutely damaged and the liver cells secrete the liver enzymes in the blood. This is why the sgpt normal range is not very high, and a result yielding zero is also possible.

This test is also prescribed for people who are already suffering from liver diseases. Certain conditions that affect other organs where SGPT is present can also cause the high level. These diseases include:

Liver damage due to excessive alcohol consumption
Cirrhosis of the liver
Acute viral hepatitis B and A
Hepatitis C infection
Tumor of the liver (both benign and malignant)
Ischemia of the liver due to insufficient blood flowing to the organ
Cholecystitis (inflammation of the gall bladder)
Celiac disease (an autoimmune disease)
Diabetes
Heart attack
Epstein-Barr virus

In pregnancy, the levels of SGPT increase, and the need to keep the levels for the sgpt test normal range is suggested by gynecologists. If you are on any medications like antibiotics or those prescribed as anti-tuberculosis, you are at a high risk of high SGPT levels. In order to confirm the occurrence of liver disease, an SGOT test is also prescribed.

When should you go for the SGPT test?

The sgpt normal range is not maintained when the liver is injured. This is also important when you are checking the results against the sgpt test normal range. The injured liver cells secrete liver enzymes in the blood. There are certain signs and symptoms that do lead the doctor to suspect that you might be suffering from liver disease or damage. These symptoms include:

Vomiting or nausea
Weakness
Fatigue
Shortened breathing
Swollen legs
Excessive bleeding or bruising
Jaundice

The list of symptoms consists of the condition of jaundice that can also be a symptom. Jaundice is the first sign of liver damage as bilirubin spreads across the body and the sgpt normal range is not met in the test results. This condition can be caused due to some of the following conditions:

Genetic disorders like Gilbert syndrome, Rotor syndrome, Dubin-Johnson syndrome, or Crigler-Najjar syndrome
Overdose of drugs like acetaminophen
Consumption of poisonous substances like certain mushrooms
Pancreatic cancer
Gall stones
Pregnancy that causes bile buildup in the bodies of the mother and the fetus

What is the SGPT normal range in a liver blood test?

Various laboratories have various techniques that can lead to the reference for the normal range to vary. But, this difference will still fall under the deemed normal range. Enzymes are measured as units/liter. The sgpt normal range lies between 7 and 55 u/L. Similarly, the sgot normal range lies between 5 and 40 units/liter of serum. When the upper limit is crossed, it is considered the danger level of sgpt and sgot.

The above sections did highlight the SGPT high level causes; the SGOT levels can rise and cross the danger level when the person is suffering from the following disease or condition:

Pancreatitis
A heart attack that damages the muscles of the heart
Kidney disease
Acute hepatitis, especially hepatitis C
Hemochromatosis

How to Naturally Lower SGPT and SGOT Levels

SGPT is found in the blood when the liver is suffering from stress, leading to liver damage. If you have been consuming alcohol or have the possibility of developing chronic liver disease, you can change your lifestyle to help reduce the levels of both SGPT and SGOT. these changes include:

Exercising regularly
Consuming food rich in vitamin D
Lower the consumption of junk food or food high in cholesterol
Reduce salt intake
Increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants
Give up on smoking or, at least, reduce the intake to slowly be able to quit smoking

Conclusion

Maintaining overall health is essential to having healthy organs. The liver helps flush out toxins and processes the blood to extract the nutrients broken down to absorbable nutrients. Keeping your liver healthy is essential. This leads to you not consuming alcohol and avoiding consuming medications in an excessive manner. Even regular consumption of painkillers can cause damage to the liver. If you are unsure of your health of feel you are developing symptoms related to liver damage, consult your doctor and get a comprehensive health check-up that includes checking the for SGPT and SGOT levels in the blood.

FAQs

What is Epstein-Barr virus?

The Epstein-Barr virus, or Human gammaherpesvirus 4, is a virus that causes STD or sexually transmitted disease. It belongs to the herpes-causing virus family. This virus also causes infectious mononucleosis. This disease is usually spread through sharing of saliva and the most common symptoms include swelling of the lymph nodes in the armpits and throat.

Can SGPT levels be abnormally low?

While the sgpt normal range is deemed to be between 5 and 56 units/liter and the lower levels are considered to be good, the falling of SGPT level below 5 is also not good. This abnormally low levels of the liver enzyme can be due to the deficiency of vitamin B6 or hormone replacement therapy.