Liver Function Test (LFT): Reading the Report of a Quiet Organ

2026-06-18 · 2 min read

The liver is the body's chemical factory — it processes food, filters toxins, makes proteins and handles most medicines. It's also stoic: it can be under real strain and cause no symptoms at all until quite late. The Liver Function Test is how you check in on it before it complains.

The main numbers, in plain language

SGPT (ALT) and SGOT (AST) are enzymes that live inside liver cells. When cells are irritated or damaged, these leak into the blood — so raised ALT and AST are the classic early flag of fatty liver, alcohol, hepatitis or a reaction to medication.

Bilirubin is the yellow pigment from broken-down red cells that the liver clears. High levels are what cause jaundice — the yellow tint in eyes and skin.

ALP (alkaline phosphatase) rises with problems in the bile ducts, and also in growing children and some bone conditions.

Albumin and total protein show the liver's manufacturing side. Low albumin can point to longer-standing liver disease (or other causes like poor nutrition or kidney loss).

Why fatty liver deserves attention

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has quietly become one of the most common findings on Indian LFTs — driven by refined carbs, sugary drinks, sedentary work and rising waistlines, not just alcohol. Slim people get it too. The encouraging part: caught early, it's often reversible with weight loss, cutting sugar, and regular walking — long before it turns into anything serious.

Who should test?

• Anyone on long-term medication (including some cholesterol, pain or TB drugs) as a routine safety check
• People who drink regularly
• Those with diabetes, obesity or high triglycerides — the fatty-liver crowd
• Anyone with unexplained fatigue, right-upper-abdomen discomfort, or a yellow tint to the eyes

Preparing and interpreting

A morning sample is usual; some doctors ask for light fasting if the LFT is bundled with sugar and lipid tests. And a gentle reminder: a single mildly raised enzyme is common and often harmless — it's the pattern, the trend over time, and your doctor's read of the whole picture that matter, not one number in isolation. The LFT is included in our Full Body Advanced package.

This article is for general information and is not a substitute for medical advice. Always discuss your results with your doctor.