Mild liver enzyme elevation? Here's what it means

Written by: Deepa

1 August 2025

What do mild liver enzyme elevations mean? You just received your blood work back and your liver enzymes are mildly elevated and you freaked out. Don't worry - that's more common than you may think. 

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Let's discuss what that means and what your liver may be telling you.

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The liver uses many enzymes to function properly, such as ALT (Alanine Transaminase) & AST (Aspartate Transaminase), among many other things. When liver cells are damaged or inflamed, these enzymes leak into the blood stream and show up in the blood work.

What are liver enzymes?

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Generally, mild elevation refers to levels that are 1 or 2 times higher than the normal range. These mild elevations often can be transient and not associated with a serious liver disease.

What is considered 'mildly elevated'?

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-Fatty liver disease (NAFLD) -Alcohol use -Some medications -Viral infections -Non-prescription drugs including acetaminophen

Typical causes of mild elevations in liver enzymes

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Yes! A fatty diet, processed foods, and sugary beverages can increase how much your liver is working. Causing stress to your liver and affect the liver enzyme levels. Adopting a liver-healthy diet can support more normalized liver enzyme levels.

Can diet play a role?

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While many people with mildly elevated levels are asymptomatic, if you experience fatigue, eyes that appear yellow, nausea, or dark urine, call your doctor right away.

Symptoms to Note

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If the levels do not normalize after some time, or go up after the initial bump, they may indicate serious liver issues such as hepatitis, cirrhosis or autoimmune disease.

When You Should Be Concerned?

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- Limit alcohol consumption - Maintain a healthy body weight - Eat more vegetables and whole grains - Avoid using medications when not necessary - Follow up regularly

What You Can Do?

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It is likely that mild liver enzyme elevation is reversible. It may take some lifestyle changes and diligence with monitoring, but you can allow your liver to heal itself. Ultimately, you want to be sure to follow up with your doctor to discuss a plan!

Final Takeaway

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