Elevated Liver Enzymes: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

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This guide cannot diagnose a condition or recommend a personal treatment plan. Discuss medical questions with a qualified professional.

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High liver enzyme levels on a blood test can be a sign that your liver is stressed or injured. Causes range from temporary issues to serious health conditions. Your healthcare provider can help you understand the results. Treatment for high liver enzymes involves finding the underlying cause.

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Having elevated liver enzymes means that certain enzymes from your liver are higher than normal.

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

Liver enzymes are inflammatory markers produced by your liver cells. Common liver enzymes include:

Alanine transaminase (ALT)
Aspartate transaminase (AST)
Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT)
Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)

If your liver is injured or damaged, it releases enzymes into your blood. This causes enzyme levels (usually ALT or AST) to rise.

High liver enzyme levels can be temporary or they may be a sign of a serious liver condition, like viral hepatitis, metabolic liver disorders or cirrhosis. Certain medications can also cause elevated liver enzymes.

Your healthcare provider checks your liver enzyme levels with a liver function test (LFT) or liver panel. They may recommend this blood test if you have symptoms of liver problems or if you have risk factors for liver disease.

You don’t always have symptoms of elevated liver enzymes. If liver damage is the cause, you may have some symptoms like:

Abdominal pain
Dark-colored pee
Fatigue
Itching
Yellowing of your skin or eyes
Light-colored poop
Loss of appetite
Nausea or vomiting
Swelling or fluid retention in your stomach or legs

Liver diseases, medical conditions, tumors, medications and infections can cause elevated liver enzymes.

Common causes for elevated liver enzymes include:

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) including alcohol-related and non-alcohol-related types
Certain medications like statins and acetaminophen
Hepatitis A, B and C
CMV or HSV Hepatitis or alcoholic hepatitis
Herbal supplements and vitamin supplements, like chaparral, comfrey tea, iron and vitamin A
Cirrhosis
Metabolic syndrome
Liver stones

Less common causes include:

Autoimmune hepatitis
Hemochromatosis
Celiac disease
Thyroid disease
Broad spectrum antibiotics
Ischemia (liver injury due to poor blood flow)
Certain types of cancer

Factors that put you at risk include:

Alcohol use
Diabetes
Obesity
Rapid weight loss or weight gain
Family history of liver disease
Autoimmune hepatitis or exposure to infectious hepatitis
Pregnancy

Healthcare providers usually find elevated alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) on a blood test. Your healthcare provider will order tests to find out why your levels are high. Then, they’ll recommend treatment.

Tests you may have include:

Blood tests to check for infections or other medical conditions (like diabetes or thyroid disease)
Imaging tests, like an abdominal ultrasound, CT scan or MRI, to look for liver disease or bile duct issues

Treatment depends on what’s causing the elevated liver enzymes. For example, you may need to change or stop certain medications, or limit or avoid alcohol.

Your healthcare provider may repeat blood tests after a few weeks to see if your levels have improved. This is important because elevated liver enzymes can lead to serious liver damage if not treated.

Some medical conditions that raise liver enzymes can’t be prevented. But you can take these steps to help keep your liver healthy:

Avoid alcohol.
Don’t share needles or items contaminated with blood.
Manage blood sugar if you have diabetes.
Tell your provider about any medications, herbs and supplements you take.
Manage your weight.
Exercise regularly.

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See your provider if you have risk factors for liver disease or have symptoms of liver problems. They may recommend that you have your liver enzyme levels checked. Early detection is the best way to avoid serious liver damage.

Elevated liver enzymes have a variety of causes. If a blood test shows high levels of liver enzymes, your healthcare provider can explain what comes next. They’ll work to figure out the cause. High liver enzyme levels can lead to liver damage, so it’s important to follow your provider’s advice and treatment plan to keep your liver healthy.

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Cleveland Clinic’s health articles are based on evidence-backed information and review by medical professionals to ensure accuracy, reliability and up-to-date clinical standards.

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If you have a disease that’s affecting your liver, you want expert advice and care. At Cleveland Clinic, we’ll create a treatment plan that’s right for you.

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Peptide Therapy Guide Editorial Team