Now Reading: ALT levels alone cannot diagnose liver disease, doctors say
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ALT levels alone cannot diagnose liver disease, doctors say
ALT is an enzyme inside liver cells that leaks into blood when the liver is damaged, making it an early marker of liver injury. But The Hindu reports that doctors warn ALT…
The Story in Brief
ALT is an enzyme inside liver cells that leaks into blood when the liver is damaged, making it an early marker of liver injury. But The Hindu reports that doctors warn ALT must never be read in isolation, normal levels can hide advanced cirrhosis, and elevated ALT can come from muscles or heart, not just the liver.
The test is part of standard health check-ups, and once-yearly screening suffices for most adults. Experts say people with obesity, diabetes or viral hepatitis need regular evaluation because the liver can stay silent even while suffering ongoing damage. An abnormal ALT is not a diagnosis but a signal for further investigation.
The Indian Opinion
The liver disease numbers India faces are serious, obesity and diabetes are fuelling a MASLD epidemic. Yet clickbait health sites thrive on turning a single ALT reading into a panic trigger. Normal ALT does not mean a healthy liver; high ALT does not automatically mean cirrhosis. The responsible takeaway is boring but vital: get a full workup if you have risk factors, not just a number on a report. The real test that will settle the debate? Whether routine annual LFTs catch silent disease before symptoms appear.
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
