Type 2 Raised Liver enzymes

[Lolix1963]

Hi everyone,
Does anyone know if raised ALT and GGT are specific to diabetes? Recently diagnosed with T2 steroid induced and was very hyperglycaemic. I’m pretty much under control with medication and diet. However my recent blood test this week reveals my ALT at 400 and GGT at 207 plus serum albumin was slightly low at 32.
Thoughts / comments?

 

[Bluetit1802]

I don't recognise the measurement units you quote, so can't comment as to how elevated they may be. They are different in the UK.

However, raised ALT and GGT are markers for a fatty liver, which is indicative of Type 2 diabetes. The two go hand in hand.

 

[Guzzler]

If you are in the U.S and if you have fatty liver then a good way to combat this is to cut down the fructose in your diet. Fructose and especially HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) in the Standard American Diet can cause liver problems as fructose is stored as fat in the liver.

 

[Lolix1963]

Thank you.
I’m in the UK the standard levels for both are 0 to 39u/L

 

[Bluetit1802]

I have just looked at my own UK lab results and see that the measurement units for both ALT and GGT are the same (iu/L or International Units per litre), but the standards are different.

ALT 3 to 53 iu/L
GGT 0 to 65 iu/L

If yours are also iu/L then your levels are sky high, and if not, then I am at a loss as to how to convert them.

 

[Lolix1963]

Does this help? I took an image of the results so you can see if the measurements are the same.

 

[Bluetit1802]

OK. Thanks. The standards are different from the standards on my report, but in any event, your results are very high, and it sounds like you probably have a fatty liver. If you eat fruit or other foods containing fructose, it would help if you cut right down.

You need to discuss all these with your GP. Diabetes Type 2 is partly caused by fatty liver.

 

[Lolix1963]

Thank you.

I will have a chat with her, she had noted that they were abnormal but expected - which I wasn’t too sure about. But it makes sense.

When diagnosed the biggest thing I had to cut down on was fruit - I’ve gone from 5 to 6 piece a day to maximum of 2.

I also have an appointment with the diabetic specialist soon too.

 

[hankjam]

Are you on a statin?
I was taken off and tried another in series as each caused raised liver enz results, though not as high as yours?

 

[Lolix1963]

No I’m not on statins - I had them a long while ago but they increase muscle and joint pain so they were stopped and marked on my notes as not suitable.

I have another condition that can affect the liver. I also take methotrexate 10mg weekly.
So could be the methotrexate or the other condition that’s affecting my liver (it’s a multi system auto immune called sarcoidosis) or a maybe a combination!

 

[Bluetit1802]

I also take methotrexate 10mg weekly.

Yes, this medication can cause raised liver enzymes. This is common. I think this needs discussion with your GP.

https://www.drugs.com/sfx/methotrexate-side-effects.html

https://www.drugs.com/tips/methotrexate-patient-tips