Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is an enzyme found predominantly in the liver, but is also present in the kidneys, heart, muscles and pancreas, although in smaller quantities. High levels can be indicative of serious health problems, especially related to the liver. To lower them, you should focus on improving the general state of this organ, collaborating with the doctor in order to determine why this abnormal increase occurred.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Diet
Step 1. Minimize your alcohol consumption
Overeating is one of the most common causes of liver damage, but moderate amounts are enough to harm liver cells over time.
Moderate alcohol consumption means two drinks a day for men and one for women. Keep below this limit to improve liver status and lower ALT levels. If you already suffer from such ailments, you should completely eliminate alcohol
Step 2. Drink more coffee
Surprisingly, according to some recent research, drinking a cup of coffee a day can help lower the risk of getting liver disease. Since the levels of alt="Image" and the damage to this organ are closely related, consuming caffeine can have a positive effect in decreasing them.
- However, keep in mind that these are fairly recent studies: the link between ALT and caffeine is still uncertain.
- Green tea may also improve liver condition. Contains plant antioxidants called catechins; they are believed to improve many body functions, including that of the liver.
Step 3. Eat organic foods
If you have significantly high alt="Image" levels, you may want to switch to an organic diet. Most people can tolerate chemical additives in foods, but for those with high levels of alt="Image" and liver damage, they can only make the current situation worse.
- The liver filters toxins and excretes them from the body; however, when there is so much work to do, it weakens and witnesses a decline.
- By law, organic foods are free of genetically modified organisms, synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, antibiotics, growth hormones, and similar substances, so it's easier for the body to process them.
Step 4. Limit junk food
Overdoing sugars and fats also stresses the liver, so eliminate them or limit consumption to improve both organ function and ALT levels.
In particular, reduce the amounts of fructose and trans fat you consume. The first is found in fizzy drinks and fruit juices, the second in fried foods, typical of fast food or industrially processed
Step 5. Eat more fruits and vegetables
Many agricultural products naturally excrete toxins from the body. By doing so, they relieve the stress of the liver, allowing it to get better and, consequently, lowering ALT levels.
- Vegetables rich in allyl sulfide, including onions and garlic, are remarkably helpful.
- Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, kale, Brussels sprouts, kale, and cauliflower, are also ideal for reducing ALT amounts.
- Grapes, beets, green leafy vegetables, avocado and lemon are other types of agricultural products suitable for improving the state of the liver.
Step 6. Get more dietary fiber
They eliminate toxins faster through the digestive system, so they don't stay long in the liver and do less damage.
- Many types of fruits and vegetables are good sources of fiber.
- Whole grains and seeds are other excellent sources of fiber. Flaxseed can be especially beneficial, as it specifically binds to excess hormones with harmful potential, helping you to expel them more effectively from the body.
Step 7. Use dietary supplements carefully
While some herbal remedies are thought to be ideal for restoring liver vitality and improving ALT levels, there is often little research to support such claims. There are herbal products and supplements that can even harm this organ by worsening the amount of alt="Image" present in the body.
- Talk to your doctor before taking herbal or other remedies.
- Some of the herbs that are good for the liver are cáscara sagrada, larrea tridentata, comfrey, kava and ephedra.
- Milk thistle seed extract is a herbal supplement that is reported to be good for the liver. Other suitable supplements are fish oil, green tea extract, curcumin (naturally found in turmeric), alpha-lipoic acid and acetyl-L-carnitine.
Method 2 of 3: Lifestyle
Step 1. Exercise regularly
Exercise improves overall health, so naturally, doing constant cardiovascular and aerobic training can improve liver status and lower ALT levels.
- Some studies suggest that moving for at least 150 minutes a week can improve the levels of liver enzymes (such as ALT) in the body of an average adult.
- Exercise can help you get rid of excess weight and limit the amount of fat your liver takes. In addition, it can stimulate sweating, a natural defense mechanism used by the body to expel toxins.
Step 2. If necessary, try to lose weight
Obesity can cause fat to infiltrate liver cells. When this happens, the liver becomes inflamed.
The best way to lose weight is to do it gradually, with a healthy diet and constant physical activity. Losing weight too quickly, using crash diets and drastic procedures, can actually put stress on the body and organs, thus causing more problems than you originally had
Step 3. If you smoke, try quitting
Chemical additives found in cigarettes often contain toxins that can damage liver cells as the liver tries to filter them. Eliminating smoking strengthens the liver and improves ALT levels.
Similarly, you should also avoid secondhand smoke, as you can breathe in most of the harmful toxins and face the same danger
Step 4. Avoid chemical toxins from the environment
Many substances circulating in the air you breathe at home contain toxins that can potentially damage the liver, so limiting exposure can improve the health of this organ and lower ALT levels.
- These toxins are found in numerous detergents, spray products, and insecticides.
- Replace artificial home care products with natural ones. If possible, prefer organic alternatives you already have in your pantry. For example, vinegar can whiten clothes, so don't use bleach. There are also organic products available on the market: it is worth a try.
Step 5. Invest in an air purifier
A small one is enough to be able to fight the environmental pollution of your home. By filtering the toxins in the air you breathe, you prevent them from entering your body and reaching the liver.
This is especially important if you live in a very polluted area
Method 3 of 3: Medical Problems
Step 1. Avoid medications that cause liver damage
Some medicines or combinations of active ingredients can damage this organ, especially if taken regularly for a prolonged period. In order to improve your ALT levels, stay away from substances known to weaken the liver.
- Acetaminophen can be toxic to the liver if taken in excess. In addition to being sold as an analgesic, it is also contained in cold medications and prescription pain relievers. There are other medicines with similar effects, including aspirin, diclofenac and naproxen.
- Cholesterol medications can also damage the liver, but you should see a doctor before you stop taking them - they were prescribed to you for a reason.
- Other drugs that can cause elevated ALT levels include antibiotics (sulfonamides, nitrofurantoin), tuberculosis drugs (isoniazid), antifungals (fluconazole, itraconazole), anticonvulsant drugs (phenytoin, carbamazepine) and tricyclic antidepressants. Statins, chemotherapy, narcotics, and barbiturates can also cause elevated levels of alt="Image".
- If you are already taking any medications, talk to a doctor before starting any other medications to check that the interaction between the various medications is not damaging your liver.
Step 2. Treat the underlying causes
High levels of alt="Image" are not necessarily harmful in themselves, but they often indicate that something is wrong with the liver. To lower them in the long term, you need to treat any ailments that are deleterious to this organ.
- Hepatitis is a major cause of high ALT levels. This includes acute viral hepatitis (both A and B) and chronic viral hepatitis (both B and C).
- Cirrhosis can also have the same effect. This occurs when scars form in the liver due to prolonged inflammation.
- Fatty liver disease can also cause elevated ALT levels, especially if the condition is caused by excessive alcohol consumption.
- Another known cause of high alt="Image" levels is hemochromatosis. It is a genetic disease caused by an accumulation of iron in the liver.
- A decrease in the blood supply to the liver can raise ALT levels. This usually happens when you experience trauma or cardiac arrest.
- There are also less common conditions linked to elevated ALT levels, including poisonous mushroom poisoning, Wilson's disease, liver cancer, autoimmune hepatitis, pregnancy, inflammatory bowel disease, gallstones, and deficiency. of alpha-1-antitrypsin.
Advice
- ALT helps the body metabolize proteins. If the liver is not functioning properly, it releases alanine aminotransferase into the blood. This is why high levels are often indicative of problems with this organ.
- The alt="Image" levels are observed through a specific blood test. Results are usually available within 12 hours, but this depends on the medical facility.
- The normal values of alt="Image" in a male subject are 10-40 units per liter or 0.17-0.68 microkat per liter. For a woman, normal values are 7-35 units per liter or 0.12-0.60 microkat per liter.
Warnings
- High levels of alt="Image" often indicate liver damage or injury. If they are moderately high, this usually means that it is a minor problem, but if the levels are 10-20 times higher than normal, this could suggest a more complex condition.
- If you have high alt="Image" levels, you should consult a doctor to determine the reason and actions to be taken to lower them. The advice outlined in this article is general, and is intended to provide you with a starting point. To discuss your specific concerns, make an appointment with a specialist.
