Elevated AST Liver Function Test?

heddylyn
heddylyn Posts: 173 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all. Not sure if this is the right category to post this but I was just curious if anyone else has experienced this. I had a physical done a week ago and everything came back normal except for an elevated AST Level. (The nurse didn't tell me the exact number or how high it was, just that it was "high"). Cholesterol, blood sugar and the two other liver function tests were completely normal. They want me to come back in a month for a re-test so now of course I am busy obsessing about what could be causing this. I have done some Google searches and found the usual culprits, alcohol, hepatitis, mono, etc. I also read somewhere that excessive exercise can cause elevated liver function levels. I work out pretty strenuously at least 4 times a week (sometimes 7). The week before my test I did 3 back to back boot camps that were very difficult. I ended up doing 78 pull-ups and 78 tricep dips in one of the work-outs and was so sore I could barely lift my arms over my head for 4 days! I also did a lot of running. Just curious if anyone else has had something similar happen and it turned out to be nothing serious? Thanks in advance for your input!

Replies

  • kimberliiw
    kimberliiw Posts: 242 Member
    I had a friend who had a high AST caused by taking acetaminophen. She was taking a couple a day and within a couple of days of not taking it her AST returned to normal level. AST is a liver enzyme and the liver filters out toxins in your blood, medication being one of these. Good luck, I hope you can find the cause.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,454 Member
    Yeah, I was on a couple prescription drugs that caused that. I stopped taking them without telling my doc, and the AST went back to normal. I drink, too. . but that doesn't affect my AST levels.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    I went through that a few years ago, got poked and prodded and referred to a liver specialist only to discover that they couldn't figure out the cause and it went back to normal by itself. It's more common than you think and can be caused by muscle damage (exercise induced), Tylenol, prescription drugs and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease as well as the usual hepatitis etc etc

    Take it easy a few days leading up to you retesting, avoid Tylenol and don't be surprised if it spontaneously goes back to normal ranges.
  • heddylyn
    heddylyn Posts: 173 Member
    Thanks for the input everyone!
  • heddylyn
    heddylyn Posts: 173 Member
    Hi! Just wanted to let you know that my second blood test came back completely normal. Now I am free to find something else to obsess about. I've also learned not to work out like a maniac prior to getting blood tests done. Who knew? :blushing:
  • kimberliiw
    kimberliiw Posts: 242 Member
    Hooray, glad to hear everything is okay. My DD is a figure skater and does off ice training with her Russian, make no excuses, coach. She had a particularly intense workout the day before her physical and her CPK (heart enyzme, but also muscle) came back sky high and freaked everyone out.
  • heddylyn
    heddylyn Posts: 173 Member
    Hooray, glad to hear everything is okay. My DD is a figure skater and does off ice training with her Russian, make no excuses, coach. She had a particularly intense workout the day before her physical and her CPK (heart enyzme, but also muscle) came back sky high and freaked everyone out.

    It's amazing that something so good for you can mimic some very scary illnesses! I'm just happy to have learned from the experience and that it was nothing serious. :)

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