Could toxins raise ALP level?

[islandanonymous]

My ALP levels have been normal in the past 10 years since I was diagnosed with PBC and resulting cirrhosis. Now all of a sudden my ALP is rising and has been above normal the past three blood tests this year. My latest ALP level was 141...I know that isn't super high but I'm a little concerned and wonder why it's rising after all this time.

So here's my question, which is probably strange but here goes: I joined a gym a year ago and coincidentally my ALP started rising ever since. Do you think that toxins in the gym could be responsible? We have to spray the machinery with antiseptic after every use. They also always seem to wash the floor with some kind of chemically-smelling stuff most times I'm there. So I wonder if I'm taking in toxins.

I guess I'm just looking for a reason for the change in my ALP level. I'm not doing anything else differently. I have a great diet and get lots of exercise (I walk a lot too).

I'm actually thinking of quitting the gym for a few months to see if it makes any difference.

What do you think?

[AyrshireK]

I doubt it's toxin related but could be exercise related. ALP isn't solely a liver enzyme but is also bone related. Look up exercise and elevated ALP online.

Hopefully it's not a sign of liver deterioration but I would hope you could get more frequent liver blood tests to make sure everything else is remaining stable and this isn't disease progression.

Best wishes.

Katie

[islandanonymous in reply to AyrshireK]

Hi Katie, thanks very much for this information. I was completely unaware of the possibility that elevated liver enzymes could be related to exercise. I read a couple of articles that specify that ALT and AST levels can be raised due to weightlifting. However in one article - it says this: "Since other markers of liver function such as alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, or coagulation tests that are typically not as impacted by exercise, significant abnormalities in these values require more urgent evaluation and not be dismissed as solely exercise-related."

I don't knock myself out in the gym by any means. I was doing weights on the machines and some rowing as well. I also do some free weights at home though, so I was basically doing some weights most days. And I was walking more too.

I had been doing blood tests every 6 months before the elevated ALP levels but when that happened, I did them every 3 months. So I've had 3 tests this year, all with elevated ALP.

I guess I'll be able to tell for sure if I quit the gym for the next 3 months before my next blood test and see if it makes any difference. It would be great if that's what's happening rather than disease progression.

One thing I wonder about...if the elevated ALP is due to exercise, is this just a temporary thing or would I be doing permanent damage to myself by continuing?

Taking care of ourselves through these diseases sure is a balancing act!

[AyrshireK in reply to islandanonymous]

Vitamin D deficiency can also affect ALP.

[islandanonymous in reply to AyrshireK]

I've taken Vitamin D since I was diagnosed. So I guess that couldn't be it.

[AyrshireK]

I wouldn't quit the gym based on your ALP. Gym is probably doing more good than harm.

[islandanonymous]

Now I've given it more thought, I do agree...I won't quit the gym. I've read more articles about exercise now and it looks like ALT and AST would more likely be affected by overtraining. Mine levels for those two are still normal. My recent Fibroscan results were better than they were a year ago too and think that's probably due to adding the gym to my routine.

If only that darn ALP level would go down next blood test! Thank you for all your help, I really appreciate it.

[Chipschill]

As Katie mentioned ALP can also be affected by bone. You might want to get a ALP isoenzyme test to see if it is your liver or bone causing the increased levels.

[islandanonymous in reply to Chipschill]

I will ask my doctor about that - thank you so much for the suggestion!

[Greengal314]

ALP is from 3 components: liver, bones, and intestines. I have arthritis in my knee from an old sports injury (surgery many years ago), which appears to have contributed to my ALP level (which is down to about 90 now).

Last year my doctor ordered a blood test that broke the ALP down into those 3 components.

One thing I did read is that if you eat a fatty meal the night before, it can raise your intestine portion of the ALP.

Hope this helps.

[islandanonymous in reply to Greengal314]

It helps alot, thank you so much! I doubt the results have been from fatty meals because I really watch what I eat and my ALP has been elevated for 3 blood tests now. I find this all very interesting though. Sure wish one of my doctors would've told me about this! I'll definitely get on their case to order me this blood test. Thanks again!

[purplecatlady1]

HiI was wondering if you have had an ultrasound of your liver in the time that your ALP has been higher than usual?

It is very, very unlikely that this is the cause, but I had a benign lump on my liver, which was found after an ultrasound. I had all normal bloods other than ALP, which stayed around the 140 mark for the 12 month that I was being tested for suspected throat / stomach cancer. (I have no idea how long my ALP had been high, I had not had blood tests done for 8 years)

If your further blood tests dont indicate what is causing it, you may want to push your doctor for an ultrasound just to make sure. As I said, its very, very unlikely, but worth checking if nothing else is found.

Good luck

Annie

[islandanonymous in reply to purplecatlady1]

Thank you, Annie. I did have an ultrasound in the same month as the first blood test that showed my ALP was elevated...it was the same as always. I have ultrasounds twice a year and am due for another one now. Hopefully all is OK...with you and with me!

[purplecatlady1 in reply to islandanonymous]

Oh that is great that you have had one, I had been wondering whether to put a reply on here or not, I didnt want to scare anyone just because I had ' a surprise visitor on my liver'. Mine was removed at the beginning of August and turned out to be benign, so best result possible.I will keep my fingers crossed that you get answers soon, but at least you are being well monitored.

All the best

Annie

[islandanonymous in reply to purplecatlady1]

I'm kind of surprised they have to remove it to find out it was benign but I'm very glad you're ok! I do have a couple of small cysts on my liver that have been there since I was diagnosed with cirrhosis many years ago. Apparently they're harmless.

[purplecatlady1 in reply to islandanonymous]

It was because it was so big (11cm long x 6cm wide and 6cm high), it was close to the main artery in my liver, so the surgeon said it had to come out regardless of what it turned out to be, hence why they didnt do a biopsy first.

Yes, pretty much back to full fitness again now thanks, after the resection in August.

[islandanonymous in reply to purplecatlady1]

Wow, that must've been scary for you! But what a great result if you're already pretty much back to normal again. Yay!

[purplecatlady1 in reply to islandanonymous]

Yes, very bizzare, I had no symptoms or pain at all, went to the doctor with a persistent sore throat, had blood tests and that started the whole liver investigations. I was very lucky, within about 8 weeks of it being found on the ultrasound, I was in surgery having it removed.

Hope that your ALP turns out to be nothing to worry about.

[islandanonymous in reply to purplecatlady1]

Totally bizarre. Especially that you only had a persistent sore throat to start with. You're super lucky. My GP ignored my elevated liver panel for over a year. Finally a nurse taking my blood told me I could see my results online and when I asked about it he just said those levels were normal for me. I had to pressure him to send me to a specialist. By that time I had cirrhosis.

Thank you for the good wishes about my elevated ALP. It isn't super high like a lot of people have here, so I'm trying to just carry on and get on with life. I think it was my former experience with doctors though that had me so concerned. I try to advocate for myself a lot more now.

[purplecatlady1 in reply to islandanonymous]

Oh hell, sounds like you were badly let down by your gp!Fingers crossed with your fitness and healthy eating, it will stop your liver getting any worse, and hopefully it will turn out to be something simple that is causing the raised alp, but you need those questions to be answered for your own peace of mind.

Take care

Annie

[islandanonymous in reply to purplecatlady1]

Thank you, Annie. It was definitely a shock. I've been fine since I started on Urso but it may be less effective now. I'll have to wait and see. Meanwhile I do everything I can to have a healthy lifestyle.

[Ubwa]

My ALP is being stubborn and staying high after my second transplant, now being sent for bone density scans as ca is low which can be a cause. So as mentioned, not always liver.

[islandanonymous]

Second transplant, wow. That must've been rough to go through. I don't think I ever get my calcium checked so maybe I should ask for that too. I've been told to take calcium, which I do.