{"id":2542,"date":"2019-01-20T07:02:45","date_gmt":"2019-01-20T07:02:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=2542"},"modified":"2021-05-20T15:56:40","modified_gmt":"2021-05-20T15:56:40","slug":"15-causes-of-elevated-liver-enzymes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/15-causes-of-elevated-liver-enzymes\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Causes of Elevated Liver Enzymes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Elevated liver enzymes is a common health condition that affects as much as 23% of all Americans. It\u2019s 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.
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Left untreated and undiagnosed, elevated liver enzymes could even be an early warning sign of certain types of cancers or signal liver damage. It\u2019s 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.
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In addition to treating the disorder, it\u2019s important to find what\u2019s causing the elevated liver enzymes in your blood in the first place.
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Here are 8 causes of elevated liver enzymes that can help you figure it out.
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1. Celiac Disease<\/strong>
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Celiac disease<\/a> 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\u2019t 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.
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Celiac disease can cause permanent damage to the digestive system if it\u2019s left untreated and gluten (the protein in wheat and many other grains) isn\u2019t eliminated from the diet entirely.
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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 \u2013 luckily, the condition can be managed.
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2. Fatty Liver<\/strong>
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A fatty liver<\/a> is a condition whereby fatty deposits embed themselves in the liver over time; it\u2019s generally a consequence of an unhealthy diet that contains a lot of oil and fat, but it can also sometimes be a side-effect of long-term and heavy drinking. In both cases, a fatty liver can be taken as an early sign of damage to the liver \u2013 and left untreated, the symptoms of a fatty liver can easily lead to the liver shutting down over time.
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If you have a fatty liver, it can be one of the direct causes of elevated levels of liver enzymes in the blood. Your doctor will recommend blood tests as the first course of action to establish this, and then likely some serious lifestyle changes to restore the damage that has been done to your liver and ensure that you live a healthier lifestyle from that point on.
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3. Alcoholism<\/strong>
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Experts agree that alcohol in moderation can be great for your health, and just a few glasses of wine per week (to one per day) can be hugely beneficial for your circulatory system and heart; even beer can be great for your health and the natural yeast in beer has many potential health benefits for you, too.
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But once you consume alcohol to excess, it quickly becomes a bad thing. Long-term alcoholism <\/a>can destroy your body and have disastrous effects on your liver and kidneys. There are even a wide range of associated disorders that you might develop if you have been drinking too much for a long time, and this includes the very real possibility of permanent liver damage to the point where you might need a section of your liver removed \u2013 or a complete liver transplant.
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Elevated liver enzymes can be an early warning sign that you should cut down on alcohol and switch to a healthier lifestyle.
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4. Unhealthy Diet<\/strong>
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An unhealthy diet <\/a>can be the cause behind a huge range of health conditions and disorders, and it\u2019s obvious that an unhealthy diet is overall and downright bad for you to begin with. It can increase the risk of developing any health conditions you are already at risk for (such as heart disease or cholesterol) and it can make any health conditions that you already have considerably worse.
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If you are following an unhealthy diet that contains too many artificial ingredients or too many salts or fats, it\u2019s likely that it could be one of the potential causes behind elevated liver enzymes.
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If you suspect that your diet could be causing the condition or making it any worse, then you should make an appointment with your doctor to have blood tests done, but you should also make an appointment with a diet expert to ensure you\u2019re following the right diet for your body type.
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5. Medication<\/strong>
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There are many types of prescription medication <\/a>that can potentially affect the liver and cause elevated liver enzymes in the blood if you\u2019ve been taking the medication for a while. This is usually an expected effect of the medication that both the doctor and pharmacist are aware of, though just in case they aren\u2019t you should get into the habit of always doing your own additional research on medications that you\u2019re prescribed for yourself to have a better idea of what you\u2019re taking and what the associated effects might be.
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If elevated liver enzymes are listed as one of the associated side-effects of a medication, it\u2019s common for doctors to order blood tests before you start taking the medication and then additional blood tests again once you\u2019ve been taking it for a few weeks or months. This is done regularly to monitor the increase of liver enzymes, and to adapt the medication once it gets out of control.
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6. Hepatitis C\/Viral<\/strong>
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Hepatitis <\/a>come in several forms, and can be contracted through several ways; some forms of hepatitis can be transmitted through blood contact, while others are most commonly transmitted through things like improper tattooing or piercing and intranasal drug use.
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It can come with many symptoms including a generally lowered immune system, and certain forms of hepatitis will require treatment for the rest of your life. Other conditions that compromise your immunity can also put you at a higher risk of contracting hepatitis, and you can<\/em> contract more than one type during your lifetime.
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One of the organs in the body that\u2019s the hardest hit by hepatitis is the liver, and one of the first signs that will warrant getting tested for hepatitis is elevated liver enzymes in your blood along with some of the other associated symptoms.
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Make an appointment for a thorough blood screening if you should suspect that this is the case. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Various types of hepatitis<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travel \/ tattooing \/ body piercing \/ intranasal drug use
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7. Physical Trauma<\/strong>
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Any kind of physical trauma to the torso, stomach or lower back can bruise <\/a>or damage the liver; this is common in car accidents, but can also happen through a myriad of other ways that cause physical damage to the liver, whether temporary or severe enough to be permanent.
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If the liver and kidneys have experienced physical trauma of this sort, blood in the urine can be a common sign that indicates internal bleeding and more severe damage.
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During the recovery phase, the liver needs to be constantly monitored, and liver enzyme levels can be expected to be high if the liver has incurred any kind of damage.
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If you suspect that any kind of physical trauma might have damaged your liver, you should go to the emergency room rather than wait for an appointment with your doctor, especially if urgent tests need to be done to establish just how elevated liver enzyme levels are.
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8. Caffeine Consumption<\/strong>
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There are many people all over the world who say that they can\u2019t start their day without a few cups or coffee, and science says that there might actually be some reason behind this: Coffee can have plenty of health benefits when it\u2019s consumed in moderation, and it\u2019s both great for your heart and circulatory system, but the opposite is true for consuming too much of it.
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Excess caffeine <\/a>consumption has a wide range of side-effects that includes dilated pupils, headaches, dehydration, increased urination, and eventual kidney and liver trouble; elevated liver enzymes that show up on blood tests are common in people who have been consuming too much caffeine for an extended period of time and have started causing damage to their liver.
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Cut down on caffeine (or switch over to decaf) if you want to start the process of restoring the damage, and remember that caffeine can be contained in many other things too.
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9. Obesity
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It\u2019s a shocking statistic, but two of every three American men are either overweight or obese<\/a>, and the rates in women are even higher. Obesity is an epidemic sweeping the nation, and responsible for the increase in adverse health conditions across the country.
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Obese individuals are at far higher risk of developing life-threatening diseases, such as diabetes and atherosclerosis. Obesity is also a leading cause of elevated liver enzymes and the development of the fatty liver syndrome.
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Obesity, when coupled with a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle increases LDL cholesterol production in the liver, leading to higher levels of triglycerides in the bloodstream and elevated enzymes in the liver. If left untreated and unmanaged, obesity can result in liver disease and heart failure.
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Obese individuals have a body mass index, (BMI) greater than 30. To calculate your BMI, divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters.
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BMI        \tWeight status<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below 18.5   \tUnderweight<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18.5-24.9    \tNormal<\/p>\n\n\n\n

25.0-29.9    \tOverweight<\/p>\n\n\n\n

30.0-34.9    \tObese (Class I)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

35.0-39.9    \tObese (Class II)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

40.0 +        \tExtreme obesity (Class III)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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10. Metabolic Syndrome
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It\u2019s important to note that this condition is not a stand-alone disease or ailment. Metabolic syndrome describes a cluster of adverse health conditions occurring at the same time. When an individual has excess body fat around the waist, along with symptoms of hypertension, hyperglycemia, and high triglyceride <\/a>levels, the body undergoes changes that make it more susceptible to infection, as well as life-threatening events like a heart attack or stroke.
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The metabolic syndrome typically occurs in people who have poor diets, a sedentary lifestyle, and high levels of stress at work or home. All of these factors come together in a perfect storm that takes a tremendous toll on every biological system within the body. Research indicates that the evidence of hepatic steatosis, explains the fat accumulation in the liver, and elevation of enzymes.
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Other signs of metabolic syndrome include persistent feelings of fatigue, increased thirst, frequent urination, and blurred vision. If you notice any of these symptoms alongside pain in your abdomen, you may have fatty liver disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Cirrhosis
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Certain diseases and lifestyle choices, like hepatitis and alcoholism, resulting in various forms of liver disease that end up leaving scarring, otherwise known as, \u201cfibrosis,\u201d on the organ. The liver will increase enzyme<\/a> production to deal with the scarring and start the regeneration process.
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However, if the affected individual refuses to accept treatment and continues with their lifestyle choices, liver cirrhosis continues to accumulate scar tissue, leading to a condition known as, \u201cdecompensated cirrhosis.\u201d In this state, the liver struggles to function correctly, leading to the development of the life-threatening liver disease, and in some cases, the formation of a cancerous tumor.
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While the liver can regenerate and repair itself, the extensive damage from cirrhosis is permanent in most cases. However, if diagnosed early by your doctor, it\u2019s possible for affected individuals to make the necessary lifestyle changes and treatment they need to limit further cirrhosis and in some cases – reverse the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Hemochromatosis
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This hereditary condition causes the body to absorb excessive amounts of iron from our nutrition. Iron is a critical nutrient that helps your blood absorb oxygen. Patients with hemochromatosis<\/a>, store the extra iron in the organs around the stomach – including the heart, pancreas, and liver.
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Too much iron in your body raises the production of liver enzymes and can spur the development of cirrhosis if left untreated. People suffering from the condition typically receive a blood transfusion every quarter to remove the excess iron from their system.
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Signs and symptoms of hemochromatosis typically start to emerge in later life, with men experiencing the symptoms of the disease after the age of fifty and women in their mid-fifties after menopause. Affected individuals usually fail to notice the early onset of the disease in most cases. Common symptoms presented by the condition include joint and abdominal pain, as well as weakness and fatigue accompanied by a loss of sexual desire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. Heart failure
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The liver relies on the steady circulation <\/a>of blood throughout the body to function optimally. Individuals with cardiovascular issues may not be able to adequately pump blood around the body resulting in suboptimal liver function and higher enzyme production.
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Individuals with severe heart problems may experience heart failure, also known as, \u201ccongestive heart failure.\u201d While this event may not kill the person, it dramatically affects the person\u2019s cardiovascular capacity, reducing circulation.
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When the liver doesn\u2019t receive enough blood flow, the organ begins to produce extra enzymes and turns fatty. In this state, the organ is susceptible to infection and disease. People with poor circulation may experience the onset of jaundice, a liver condition where bile begins to leak into the bloodstream, turning the skin and whites of the eyes yellow.
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Doctors will check the bloodwork of cardiovascular patients frequently, and these tests always include a liver enzyme panel to determine the health of the organ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. Cytomegalovirus
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CMV, also known as \u201ccytomegalovirus<\/a>,\u201d is another contributing factor to an elevation in liver enzymes. This common virus affects millions of Americans, and there is no cure available. However, the virus presents few symptoms and doesn\u2019t cause much concern in healthy individuals.
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However, when the virus infects pregnant women or people with a weak immune system, it can present a cause for concern. Mothers risk passing the virus on to their unborn child, who may experience symptoms of the disease later in life. Individuals undergoing liver transplants are also at higher risk of developing an infection that could turn life-threatening.
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CMV spreads through contact with bodily fluids, such as semen, saliva, blood, and urine. While there is no cure for the virus, doctors can administer medication that prevents the transfer of CMV from mothers to their unborn children. Symptoms of infection with CMV include a fever, sore throat, fatigue, and muscle aches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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15. Weak Immune Function
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Immune function plays a significant role in our health. Our immune response first occurs in the gut, which houses over 70-percent of immune cells. As the body detects infection, it signals the production of T-cells into white blood cells to combat the source of the disease, whether it be viral, fungal, or bacterial.
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Individuals with weak immune function due to lifestyle factors such as alcoholism and drug use often experience sickness more frequently than those people living an active life with positive lifestyle <\/a>habits, such as healthy eating and limiting alcohol consumption.
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Weakened immune systems also compromise liver function, increasing liver enzyme production. Some people may also develop autoimmune disorders that affect the body\u2019s natural response to invading pathogens and bacteria. Instead, the immune system recognizes healthy cells as invading entities and attacks them. This autoimmune response results in a host of health issues to do with the hormonal system.
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