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LFT: What a Liver Function Test Actually Measures
A liver function test is really two tests in one. Some lines are enzymes that leak out when liver cells are irritated; others measure what the liver is producing. A report can have one abnormal and the other entirely normal, and the difference between those two situations is most of the interpretation.
When it is ordered
Ordered for suspected fatty liver, jaundice, before starting certain medicines, and in routine check-ups. Fasting is not usually required, though labs often prefer it when it accompanies a lipid profile.
Every line on the report
| Test | Typical range | Unit | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Bilirubin | 0.2–1.2 | mg/dL | The pigment that turns eyes and skin yellow when it builds up. |
| Direct Bilirubin | up to 0.3 | mg/dL | The portion the liver has already processed. Its share of the total tells a doctor where the problem sits. |
| SGOT (AST) | 5–40 | U/L | An enzyme from liver, heart and muscle — so it can rise for reasons that are not the liver at all. |
| SGPT (ALT) | 7–56 | U/L | The more liver-specific enzyme of the pair, and the usual early signal of fatty liver. |
| Alkaline Phosphatase | 40–130 | U/L | Comes from the bile ducts and from bone. Raised alone, it often points at bone rather than liver. |
| Total Protein | 6.4–8.3 | g/dL | Albumin and globulin added together. Meaningful mainly through the split between them. |
| Albumin | 3.5–5.2 | g/dL | Made by the liver. A steady fall over time is more telling than one low reading. |
| Globulin | 2–3.5 | g/dL | The antibody-carrying fraction. Rises with long-running infection and inflammation. |
Ranges differ between laboratories. These are the values commonly printed on adult reports in India — always compare against the range printed on your own report, next to your own result.
How the values are read together
- The enzymes — SGPT and SGOT rise when liver cells are irritated. SGPT is the more liver-specific; SGOT also comes from muscle, so heavy exercise can lift it with a healthy liver.
- The bile ducts — alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin rise together when bile flow is obstructed, which reads quite differently from a raised SGPT alone.
- What the liver makes — albumin and total protein reflect production over weeks, not days, so a fall there is a slower and more serious signal than an enzyme rise.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a normal SGPT and SGOT level?
Roughly 7–56 U/L for SGPT and 5–40 U/L for SGOT, with labs differing. Compare against the range printed on your own report.
Can a raised SGPT return to normal?
Frequently. Where the cause is fatty liver or diet, weight loss, less sugar and less alcohol often bring it down over weeks to months. The cause still needs to be identified by a doctor.
Does a normal LFT mean my liver is fine?
It is reassuring but not conclusive. Some liver conditions progress with normal enzymes, which is why a doctor reads the panel alongside symptoms, history and, where needed, imaging.