Even if we are not aware of it, our body keeps us alive by doing countless processes at every moment. The most vital of these processes is undertaken by our liver. By producing enzymes such as ALT and AST, it performs many tasks, from digesting the food we eat to clotting the blood. The AST enzyme, on the other hand, has a special place because we can see whether our liver is working properly according to its value in the blood.
Aspartate aminotransferase, known by the abbreviation AST, is actually an enzyme that is also present in our other organs, but since it is actually produced and most concentrated in the liver, it directly gives information about the health of this organ. If the AST rate in your blood is high, it means that there are some problems with your liver. Let’s examine the question of what is AST in a little more detail and see what can happen in cases such as the height and low of the bride.
What is aspartate aminotransferase, AST in short?
Aspartate aminotransferase, also known as serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase SGOT, is an enzyme produced by our liver. Although the liver is the most concentrated, a certain amount of AST is also found in the heart, kidneys, brain and muscles. Since the liver is mixed with the blood when it is damaged, the health of your liver is understood by the AST value that appears in the blood test results.
What does AST do?
The main task of our liver is to convert the food that enters our body into energy. For this, it produces a substance called bile. It also produces different components that help blood clot by removing waste and toxins from the blood. One of these components is the aspartate aminotransferase enzyme, which is abbreviated as AST. The value of the AST value in the blood test results indicates the health of the organs in which it is present.
What is the ideal AST value?
The aspartate aminotransferase enzyme, which is abbreviated as AST, is denoted by U and evaluated over its amount in 1 liter of blood. The ideal AST value for men is between 10 and 40 U/L, and the ideal AST value for women is between 9 and 32 U/L. Low AST value is not seen very often, but when you have a ratio above these values, this is considered as AST elevation.
What is AST elevation, why does it occur?
- chronic hepatitis
- Cirrhosis
- Obstruction in the gallbladder ducts
- liver cancer
- acute viral hepatitis
- Drug-induced liver damage
- Congestion in blood vessels leading to the liver
- burns
- Heart attack
- Intense exercise
- muscle injuries
- Pregnancy
- pancreatitis
- Different surgeries
An AST value above 40 U/L in men and 32 U/L in women is considered as AST elevation. Conditions that cause AST elevation are generally like this. However, if you have paid attention, there are many different conditions that can cause high AST. For this reason, when you have any problems, be sure to be examined by a specialist doctor instead of diagnosing yourself.
Symptoms of AST elevation:
- Jaundice on the skin and eyes
- Constant feeling of being tired
- extreme weight loss
- A fat belly regardless of weight
- Stomach ache
- Loss of appetite
- itchy skin
- dark urine
- light colored stool
- Swelling in the legs and ankles
- bruises
These are some of the symptoms that occur as a result of the increase in the AST value in your blood when your liver is damaged. In most cases of AST elevation, one or more of these symptoms are observed. However, even if there are no symptoms, a blood test may be ordered in some cases where your liver is at risk.
Conditions that create a risk of AST elevation:
- Exposure to the hepatitis virus
- excessive alcohol consumption
- Taking medications known to cause liver damage
- genetic liver disorders
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- metabolism problems
- fatty liver
If you do not have any of the symptoms of AST elevation yet, but you have one or more of these conditions, your doctor will want to check your AST value with a blood test as a precaution. Depending on the situation, a change in medication and lifestyle change may be recommended or a different treatment method may be applied.
What causes low AST?
- Kidney ailments
- Urea height
- Dialysis
- sugar coma
- Pregnancy
- Vitamin B6 deficiency
Here are some of the conditions that lower the AST value in your blood. Low AST is not a common condition, and when it does, it is generally short-lived. However, your doctor will make the best decision.
What is the difference value between AST and ALT?
Aspartate aminotransferase AST and alanine aminotransferase ALT are enzymes that are very similar to each other and are generally evaluated together in blood tests for liver health. ALT enzyme is most concentrated in the liver, while AST is also found in the heart, kidney, brain and muscle system. The AST value can reveal damage to many different organs, especially the liver.
How to lower the AST value?
- Limit processed food consumption.
- Limit alcohol consumption.
- Try to consume fiber foods.
- Follow a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
- Make sure you’re getting enough vitamin C.
Although it varies according to the disease or disease that increases your AST value, it is generally possible to lower your AST value by taking such precautions and changing your lifestyle. If the reason for your high AST value is a drug that causes liver damage, you can share this with your doctor and switch to a different drug or take an additional drug.
There is a direct relationship between liver health and your overall body health. Most of the time, if your liver health is not good and your AST value is high, there are problems in different parts of your body and you will see symptoms depending on them. Therefore, you should always prioritize taking good care of your health in general.
You can protect your liver health by consuming foods such as artichoke, coffee, green tea, garlic, asparagus, grapes, peanuts, fish oil and grapefruit, as well as making changes that will be good for your general health, such as exercising regularly, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol consumption.
We talked about what can happen in cases of high and low levels by answering questions such as what is AST, one of the enzymes produced by our liver, which is vital for our body, and what is it for. What we describe is for informational purposes only. As with all health issues, remember that you should go to the nearest health institution and get the most accurate and specific information about AST from a specialist physician.
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