15 Causes of Elevated Liver Enzymes

Elevated liver enzymes is a common health condition that affects as much as 23% of all Americans. It’s also called transaminitis, and elevated liver enzymes can have a hugely negative effect on the rest of your health and cause a range of associated symptoms that include arthritis, swelling of the abdomen, lower back pain and severe nausea.

Left untreated and undiagnosed, elevated liver enzymes could even be an early warning sign of certain types of cancers or signal liver damage. It’s simple to establish the levels of liver enzymes in your blood with a simple blood test, and if you suspect that it might be causing your symptoms, you should make an appointment with your doctor to schedule a blood test immediately.

In addition to treating the disorder, it’s important to find what’s causing the elevated liver enzymes in your blood in the first place.

Here are 8 causes of elevated liver enzymes that can help you figure it out.

1. Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is a chronic allergy to wheat and anything containing it, and researchers are still trying to find out why celiac disease appears to be becoming more common of a disease. If you have celiac disease, wheat doesn’t just cause a bad reaction in the body when you consume wheat, but it can also contribute to a range of other severe symptoms that include stomach pain, swelling, decreased immunity and in extreme cases, even psychotic episodes that were triggered by the allergic reaction.

Celiac disease can cause permanent damage to the digestive system if it’s left untreated and gluten (the protein in wheat and many other grains) isn’t eliminated from the diet entirely.

Elevated liver enzymes due to the damage it causes to the liver is common in celiac disease, especially if it has been left ignored, untreated or undiagnosed for a long time – luckily, the condition can be managed.