Why a Routine Liver Function Test is Important?

Why a Routine Liver Function Test is Important? Your liver is an important organ in maintaining health and wellness. The liver performs a range of functions in the body, including neutralizing harmful substances, metabolizing foods, and absorbing drugs and alcohol. Unfortunately, routine liver function testing is not common in healthcare. As pioneer diagnostic service provider, Xactvision Diagnostics understands the importance of having a healthy liver and its importance.   In this article I will discuss the role of the liver in the body, the most common liver illnesses and their clinical signs and symptoms, and the need for routine liver function testing..  

How does your liver keep you healthy and alive?

The liver is an essential organ that performs many different and important functions. The liver's key functions include:  

• Detoxifying harmful agents and metabolizing drugs and alcohol in order to neutralize them.
• Producing bile to help dissolve and absorb fats.
• Producing proteins necessary for blood clotting.
• Controlling the body's blood sugar levels by storing excess glucose as glycogen and releasing it when the body requires glucose.
• Filtering out toxins and waste products from blood.
• Storing vitamins (A, D, E, K, B12) and minerals (e.g., iron and copper).

 

Know About Common Liver Conditions and Symptoms:

Liver is essential body part in the health of the body as a whole, yet it is prone to certain conditions that may interfere with its normal functions. it is important to understand the common conditions of the liver and symptoms they may have so that any arising problem can be realized first before it becomes serious.  

1.Hepatitis:

This is a swelling of the liver, and it can be brought about by viral infections (Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B or C), too much alcohol or drugs. The typical symptoms encompass fatigue, jaundice (turning yellow in color), belly pain, nausea and brownish urine.  

2. Cirrhosis:

It is a gradual disorder that comes up as a result of long duration damages that make the healthy liver tissue substitute with scar tissue. It may occur as a consequence of constant alcohol abuse, hepatitis B or C infection, fatty liver disease or autoimmune diseases. Fatigue, weakness, weight loss, leg and abdominal swellings (ascites), jaundice, and the bruise easily are some symptoms that may appear.  

3. Fatty Liever Disease:

It is a phenomenon that happens when fat cells get deposited in liver cells; this can be determined by different factors like obesity, diabetes of type two, there is high level of cholesterol or alcohol consumption.   It does not necessarily trigger obvious symptoms in the beginning but may subsequently occasion inflammation (steatohepatitis) and even cirrhosis in case it is not attended to at all.  

4. Hemochromatosis:

This is an inherited disorder that leads to over absorption of iron by the body.   The deposits accumulate in the body leading to damage and deposition of too much iron in different body organs such as the liver.   Fatigue, abdominal pain, joint pain, and bronze skin may be some of the symptoms of the disease.  

5. Liver Cancer:

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the primary liver cancer which is a serious concern of people who have an underlying chronic disease of the liver such as cirrhosis   Still, the first symptoms may include unexplained weight loss abdominal pain jaundice or an enlarged liver   Knowing these widespread conditions and related signs, you can do something to keep your liver healthy and turn to the doctor in case of emergency.  

Why Should You Get an LFT Test?

Routine liver function tests (LFTs) are essential towards a healthy living. These ltests are useful in monitoring the general operations of your liver and diagnosing any problem at the initial stage. Obtaining regular LFTs will help you to take precaution to safeguard and promote the health of your liver.   During the early stages liver diseases may not have any symptoms at all or may have ill defined symptoms. Regular LFTs become even more valuable in this case since it is possible to pick up on such conditions prior to their development into grave issues.   Among the most typical liver ailments that can be detected via LFTs, there is such a disorder as fatty liver disease, hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, as well as liver damage caused by medications. When these conditions are detected early, they can be managed and intervened in thus greatly increasing their outcomes.   Besides the diagnosis of liver diseases, regular LFTs are used to evaluate effectiveness of any further treatment or medication you might be receiving in case you have any chronic liver problems. It is advised that you look at how your test results change overtime so that healthcare professionals can make informed options concerning patient treatment adjustments where necessary.  

Other Strong Reasons For Getting Your LFT Test

Now that we recognize the relevance of liver function tests (LFTs), it's important to understand the people who should consider getting the tests done on a regular basis. While LFTs are typically not part of routine check-ups, they nevertheless hold potential to assist with liver health, and finding liver issues before it's too late.  

1. At-risk individuals: People with risk factors should absolutely consider getting routine LFTs. This is definitely true for people with a history of alcohol abuse, obesity, diabetes, or viral hepatitis.
2. People with high symptoms: If you are experiencing symptoms such as fatigue, unintentional weight loss or weight gain, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), dark urine, or abdominal swelling or pain, it's worth talking to your healthcare provider about an LFT.
3. Chronic Liver Conditions: Individuals with chronic liver ailments such as cirrhosis or fatty liver disease might need to be monitored frequently using LFTs to gauge the development of the situation to establish suitable treatment regimens.
4. Pre-Existing Health Conditions: Even some medical conditions such as high levels of cholesterol or autoimmune disorder may be causing impairments to liver health indirectly. Here routine LFTs can serve to alert of any associated problems and allow early intervention.

  Keep in mind that the circumstances of each person are different; that is why, it is better to visit a medical worker in order to make conclusions on whether your organism needs regular LFTs.  

How to prepare for a liver function test?

1. Ask your medical practitioner: Discuss with your doctor on the correct guidelines on how to prepare to take an LFT liver function test. They can tell you what dietary limitations you must observe or how to change your medications before the test.
2. Fasting: Prerequisite to an LFT in most instances, fasting must be carried out. This implies not taking a meal or consuming anything without any water during a particular time period, say 8-12 hrs prior to the exam. Be sure to take this recommendation as directed by your medical practitioner.
3. Medications: Be sure to tell your doctor about all medications, supplements, and herbal remedies you are taking. Some medications can affect liver enzymes and should be temporary stopped or possibly adapted prior to your test.
4. Keep drinking: Drink lots of water leading up to the test, unless you have been instructed otherwise from your doctor.

Let's Understand the LFT ( Liver function test) Test Results

 

Liver function test	Indications	Typical and atypical ranges
ALT test	An abnormally high test score may signal liver damage. Levels above 1,000 U/L are often due to drug or chemical injury, ischemic hepatitis, or viral hepatitis.	In most cases, additional testing and assessment are necessary when an ALT is greater than 25 international units per liter (IU/L) in females and 33 IU/L in males.
AST test	An elevated AST level may indicate liver or muscle issues. If AST is high but ALT is normal, it could suggest heart or muscle problems. Raised ALP, ALT, and bilirubin may also signal liver disease.	Adults typically have an AST range of up to 36 U/L; however, newborns and young children may have a greater range.
ALP test	Elevated ALP levels may indicate bone disease, bile duct blockage, or liver inflammation.	Adults typically have an AST range of up to 36 U/L, while newborns and young children may have higher levels. Similarly, ALP levels are higher in children and adolescents due to bone growth and may also increase during pregnancy. The normal ALP range for adults is 20–140 IU/L.
Albumin test	A low score on this test may suggest reduced liver function, which can occur in conditions like cancer, cirrhosis, or malnutrition.	Albumin levels usually range from 35 to 50 g/L. Low albumin may result from inflammation, infection, or kidney disease.
Bilirubin test	A high bilirubin test result could mean that the liver isn't working well. Increased ALT or AST along with high bilirubin values may indicate hepatitis or cirrhosis.	The normal range for total bilirubin is often between 0.1 and 1.2 mg/dL.

 

Lifestyle Changes for better Liver Health

  To help prevent liver disease and promote excellent liver performance it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The following are some of the easy but effective changes that you can make to enhance the condition of your liver.   One should keep a moderated diet and eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats. To ease the work on your liver, the intake of processes food that contains high fructose corn syrup, saturated fats and additives is to be avoided.   Another key element of treating the health of the liver is frequent exercise. Physical exercise is known not only assist in keeping a healthy weight but also it enhances circulation of blood and general wellness.   Alcohol is also critical to be consume in limits to avoid damaging your liver. Alcohol bad habits may result in fatty liver disease or cirrhosis. Men are advised to limit consumption of alcohol to two drinks a day with women only having one drink a day.   Controlling stress is part of taking care of the liver. Non-alcoholic fatty liver is one of the conditions of the liver that was show to be connect to chronic stress.