Elevated Liver Markers

[clayandcoorie]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share a bit about my liver health journey and see if anyone else has had similar experiences or success stories.

A month ago, I had a bit of a scare with my liver enzyme results, which were:

GGT – 342

ALT – 76.9

I got these results through an online clinic, using a home blood test kit. Seeing those numbers really pushed me to make some big lifestyle changes, particularly stopping alcohol completely after many years of excessive drinking. My partner has stopped drinking entirely with me too. Never thought I could do a whole month without a drink to be honest, but the shock of the results was enough to stop. I'm on day 30 with no alcohol and I will continue on this path.

I also started taking milk thistle and NAC.

Now, four weeks later, my latest results (again from a home blood test) are:

GGT – 170 (reduced by 50%)

ALT – 61

I’m feeling so much better knowing these have gone down, but I can’t lie—I’ve gone down a bit of a Google rabbit hole and ended up worrying about cirrhosis and long-term damage. I don’t have any major symptoms like jaundice or swelling, and my numbers are improving, but I’d love to hear from anyone who’s been through a similar experience.

I have an NHS blood test with a nurse this week, so I’m curious to see how those results compare to my at-home tests. Has anyone else tracked their liver enzymes this way?

Did your liver numbers keep improving over time? How long did it take for your GGT/ALT to return to normal? Any tips or encouragement would be amazing!

Thanks for reading—looking forward to hearing from you all.

[healthygirlie]

Hi! Same here. I had blood tests done and we found out my ALT and GGT is slightly elevated. My ALT is 39 and my GGT is 98. I'm not an alcohol drinker but I occasionally drink. I'm so happy that you're results are getting better. I'm gonna check how I go and will go on a low carb diet and will probably try Milk Thistle.

[BritishLiverTrust8 Moderator British Liver Trust in reply to healthygirlie]

Dear healthygirlie

If you have liver disease eating a good, balanced diet is essential to maintain strength and a healthy weight. Here is the link to information on Diet and Liver Disease on our website, which you may find useful

britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

You might also need to change the food you eat depending on:

the type of liver disease you have

the stage of the damage to your liver - people living with cirrhosis have special dietary needs

any eating difficulties you experience such as loss of appetite or feeling sick (nausea)

If you have already been given dietary advice you should not make changes without first talking to your consultant or dietitian. If you haven’t seen a dietitian, or you have specific questions about your diet, you can ask your doctor to refer you.

With regards to milk thistle the British Liver Trust does not recommend the use of any homoeopathic or herbal remedies for those with any liver problems as these may damage the liver and lead to severe illness.”

For more information on this subject please visit the following page on our website:

britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

Best wishes

British Liver Trust

[BritishLiverTrust8 Moderator British Liver Trust]

Dear clayandcoorie

It can be really challenging to make lifestyle changes. Here are the links to information on the British Liver Trust website about diet and exercise, which you may find useful while you wait for others to reply:

britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

With regards to milk thistle the British Liver Trust does not recommend the use of any homoeopathic or herbal remedies for those with any liver problems as these may damage the liver and lead to severe illness.

For more information on this subject please visit the following page on our website, which includes a section about milk thistle:

britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

Best wishes

British Liver Trust

[kensimmons]

Sound like if you keep doing what you are doing and listen to the advice of the British Trust given in this thread you will be fine. Most importantly stay away from alcohol, have a good diet and make sure to move about a bit to get some exercise in. I am not a doctor or medical person, but it sounds to me like if you do these things your numbers will keep improving. It just takes a bit of time, a couple of months. Hang in there!