Elevated Liver Enzymes Causes
Elevated liver enzymes are something that can be detected in blood tests. They don’t point to one particular disease or condition, but can actually be a sign of many different medical items. This article talks about some of the reasons that liver enzymes may be raised above their normal levels. Remember that this list is not comprehensive. Additionally, there are multiple enzymes that may be measured in testing, such as: gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, alanine transaminase, and others.
Diabetes
Yes, having diabetes may cause one to have elevated liver enzymes. Keep in mind that there are multiple types of this illness. For instance, there is type 1 diabetes, that used to be known as juvenile diabetes. In it, there is a lack of the hormone called insulin. That means the patient needs insulin replacement, which usually is given to the patient through injections.
Another form is type 2 diabetes. This was previously known as the adult-onset kind. Although the person may have a lower than normal amount of insulin, the condition revolves around a resistance to said hormone. Some patients with this disease do need replacement of insulin, but in many cases it can be managed, initially, with things such as getting more exercise and modifying one’s diet. Avoiding, as much as one can, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels are also important.
Another type of diabetes is the gestational form. This affects women who are pregnant, and a case is only classified under this category if she had not previously had some form of the disease. In many cases, the addition of exercise and alterations to the diet are the treatment methods used, but in some cases medicine is required — with insulin as one of those.
High triglycerides
If a patient has high level of triglycerides in his blood, he may end up with elevated liver enzymes. A triglyceride is an ester. It comes by way of three fatty acids, plus glycerol. According to the American Heart Association, anything below 150 mg/dL is a normal amount. Numbers above that but below 200 are considered borderline to being high. Actual “high triglycerides” are considered to be counts that are 200 or above.
Triglycerides are one of the things measured in total cholesterol tests, even though they are not technically a form of a cholesterol. The other two things that are typically measured in such a test are HDL and LDL. HDL is called the “good” form of cholesterol, while LDL is known as the “bad” kind. The reason behind these labels is that it is thought that high levels of HDL are protective, while raised amounts of LDL are considered to assist in the development of certain medical problems.
