Hi,
Background: I’ve been training for about 4 months, following SS LP. Training is going great: I’m a 35y/o male, height 5’ 10", weigh 163lb. I’ve gained about 21 pounds and am progressing on all my lifts, and am currently eating 3200 Kcals per day with 200g of protein. Prior to strength training I boxed for about a year but haven’t done any serious barbell training in recent years.
On Monday I had my annual physical checkup with my doctor, and the bloodwork results showed:
- AST (SGOT) 199 U/L (ref range is 0-40)
- ALT (SGPT) 87 U/L (ref range is 0-41)
I hadn’t trained for 2 days before the test.
My doctor is very concerned about these results and has asked me to come in in two weeks for a repeat test. In the meantime I am supposed to cease all alcohol consumption, and any over the counter medication. Thing is, I haven’t had any alcohol in 2 weeks anyway, and historically am a light drinker. I’m also not taking any medication.
The results also showed elevated Urea Nitrogen, Cholesterol, Triglycerides and a Vitamin D deficiency. The doctor wasn’t as concerned about these results. Physically I feel great and am sleeping well.
Some cursory Googling showed that weight training can cause elevated AST and ALT levels. I’m planning on supplementing additional Vitamin D; but apart from that I’m not sure what else I can or should do. Are these results anything to be concerned about?
Hey Lifter2017,
I don’t know much about your past medical history, family med history, etc., but then AST is above the cut off we would typically see in a training population. It deserves further workup. The elevated cholesterol and triglycerides may be concerning, but without knowing much more, that’d be hard to say.
I would recommend following up with your doc to work this up. It may, in fact, be nothing (the AST levels) but we’d wanna know for sure.
Hi Jordan,
Thanks for your reply. I had another blood test yesterday (exactly 2 weeks later). The results showed my AST within normal range and my ALT was elevated at 57 but not as high as previously. I also requested a GGT which showed a normal result.
I’m guessing too many variables changed to draw any kind of conclusion, but would be interested if you have a different view: I was traveling last week so my diet and training were different than usual: specifically I ate less protein (I don’t travel with my blender …) and I trained 4 days prior to the test instead of 2 like the first time.
Thanks again
If it helps, you have really mild elevated levels of alts/asts. So your doctor saying hes concerned may be a bit of an overreaction. Bilirubin would indicate liver breakdown. Try to go light on the protein as this puts a bit of weight on the liver. It could be a bunch of things causing it but if it was extremely serious your numbers would be escalated in the 1000s. Im guessing fatty liver and some weird insulin resistance but this is based on idle speculation. Perhaps investigate Intermittantfasting?