What is Alanine Aminotrasferase?
Alanine Aminotrasferase (ALT) is found in multiple body tissues. The serum plays a role in speeding up the alanine cycle. In a clinical setting, doctors order this blood test as one means of measuring liver health. If ALT levels are higher than normal, this is not always an indication of an underlying health problem. Excessive exercise and normal body fluctuations can cause ALT levels to rise above normal. Doctors may order additional liver testing to ensure your liver is healthy.

Normal Value Range

• Adult Negative Pregnancy: 7 to 41 U/L or 0.12 to 0.68 µkat/L
• Pregnancy Trimester One: 3 to 30 U/L or 0.05 to 0.5 µkat/L
• Pregnancy Trimester Two: 2 to 33 U/L or 0.03 to 0.55 µkat/L
• Pregnancy Trimester Three: 2 to 25 U/L or 0.03 to 0.42 µkat/L

If a patient has excess liver fat associated with pregnancy, shock, HELLP syndrome, viral hepatitis or autoimmune hepatitis, ALT levels can be extremely elevated.

Mild to moderate ALT elevations may be associated with preeclampsia, hyperemesis gravidarum, cholestasis, mononucleosis, abuse of alcohol, fatty liver, medication use, Wilson’s disease, alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency or chronic liver disease.

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