How to Lower SGPT in One Week: Best Tips for Liver Health

If you or a family member have recently discovered elevated SGPT levels, you are most likely focusing on ways to improve the health of your liver. Many of you may be searching for ways and means to lower SGPT in a week. While major changes certainly take longer time and commitment, starting the journey towards a better liver health where you work on lowering your SGPT levels can start in a week. Liver related ailments are on a rapid rise in India where liver cirrhosis cases are also being seen in higher numbers than before. Lifestyle factors, alcoholism, self medication, viral infections are some of the main causes of liver damage and inflammation. 

This blog has been written with the intent to provide you with practical tips, help you with steps to start healthier habits which include making changes to your diet, modifying your lifestyle, and other things which can lay the foundation for long term liver support and overall metabolic health. By making it a week that counts and sets the changes in motion, you can pave the way for lasting improvements in your liver health and general well-being.

The Liver and Its Enzymes

Before talking about the ways to lower SGPT levels in one week or rather making the changes which will eventually lower the levels, let us see what does your liver do and what exactly is SGPT. 

The liver is a vital organ which is present in the upper right portion of the abdomen. It is shaped like a wedge and it is divided into two major lobes which are further divided into smaller lobules. It has a unique structure and plays a central role in maintaining overall health and metabolic balance. It is involved in numerous essential functions in metabolism, detoxification, and bile production (important for fat digestion, eliminating certain waste products, pH regulation, and for digestive health). In order to perform these intricate and vital functions, the liver needs a variety of enzymes with each one serving a specific function.

• Aminotransferases include SGPT (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase) also called ALT and SGOT (also called AST). These enzymes play an important role in amino acid metabolism where they convert them into usable forms for energy production. In case these are elevated, one can suspect liver damage. SGPT is more specific for liver damage as SGOT is also found in other tissues. This is why so many people want to know how to lower SGPT in one week. 

• Other main enzymes produced are Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT), Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH), and Cytochrome P450 Enzymes.

The liver uses these enzymes to ensure efficient metabolic processes, it detoxifies the blood, maintains homeostasis, and performs other functions. You can now understand that this vital organ must be protected from damage.

Also Read: - SGPT meaning in blood test

When to Get Your SGPT Levels Tested?

Your doctor may recommend that you get your SGPT levels tested along with other liver enzymes if there are signs of a liver injury, inflammation, or disease. For this, you will be recommended a liver function test which is also called LFT. This test can show if there is any infection in the liver, any inflammation or damage, and also to monitor if a treatment is working well. This test can show problems with the liver but cannot determine the exact cause and for this additional tests and medical history are required.

You can get this test without any special precautions and preparation unless told otherwise by your doctor. If there are any abnormalities, you can work with your doctor and dietitian to correct or manage the problem. You can incorporate changes to lower SGPT levels quickly if the levels are found to be high. 

Causes of High SGPT: Know The Culprits

Before deciding on how to lower your SGPT levels, you need to know the causes so that you can remove the modifiable risk factors and causes.

These are some of the causes of High SGPT levels:

• Liver diseases like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic fatty liver disease, infections like hepatitis, etc.

• Medications like statins, acetaminophen, etc.

• Certain conditions like autoimmune hepatitis, celiac disease, Wilson's disease, etc.

• Some viral infections.

• Obesity and other metabolic issues.

Will You See Symptoms with High SGPT levels?

On its own, high SGPT levels seldom show noticeable symptoms. But one will see symptoms if there is any underlying liver issue or any other disease or infection which has caused these high levels. Some of the symptoms which may be seen in such cases include:

• Fatigue (which is present even without a clear cause)

• Jaundice

• Abdominal pain, especially in the upper right quadrant.

• Pale stool

• Dark urine 

• Loss of appetite 

• Nausea or vomiting

• Easy bruising

• Shortness of breath

• Swelling of the legs

• Itching 

If you have these symptoms, see a doctor and get your tests done. O-Lab in Jammu offers various packages for blood tests, and individual blood tests including LFT and SGPT.

How to Lower SGPT Levels in One Week- Practical Strategies 

We have already discussed that liver enzymes including SGPT cannot be lowered in a week or two. These require sustained efforts but a week is a good time to set the changes in motion and to adapt to a healthy way of living to improve liver health. 

The first thing you need to do is to consult a healthcare professional to find out the root cause and begin the medical treatment (if needed). 

These are the other things you need to do and these bring about drastic changes if sustained:

• Eat healthier to lower SGPT levels and other liver enzymes: a balanced diet is the mainstay of treatment in case of elevated liver enzymes especially in case of fatty liver disease. A diet that is low in simple carbs and sugars, a diet that restricts saturated fats and incorporates healthy fats in limited quantities, and a diet high in protein and fibre can reduce liver enzymes. 

• Staying active: a combination of aerobic and resistance training, according to your age and health, can help in reducing fat deposition in the liver and lower SGPT levels.

• Losing weight: if the liver enzymes are elevated due to a metabolic syndrome or due to fatty liver disease then weight loss can have a major impact of reducing the levels. This is because it will reduce fat accumulation in the liver, improve insulin sensitivity, decrease systemic inflammation, and improve general health. 

• Stop/reduce alcohol consumption: this can be a key factor in lowering your SGPT levels even in the short term. It will also bring down GGT levels and you will be able to stop further damage to the liver. If changes are made early on, damage can even be reversed.

• Stop smoking: because some studies have found that smokers have a higher risk of damaging their liver or developing liver cancer.

• Drink coffee: a moderate intake of black coffee (1-4 cups) can be helpful. 

• Increase folate intake: as folate deficiency may be a risk factor for high SGPT levels. Dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds, seafood, bananas, and many other foods are good sources of folate.

• Avoid self-medication: as many medicines and chemicals have the potential to cause liver damage.

• Get vaccinated against hepatitis as hepatitis can cause inflammation of the liver.

  
  

Also Read: - How to reduce sgot sgpt in dengue

Conclusion 

You have now learned about the changes you can make in one week to lower SGPT levels over time. It is really important to consult a doctor before making any changes and to learn about the existing risk factors so that those could also be prevented/eliminated or taken care of.

To get your tests, reach out to us at O-Lab because we provide tests at competitive prices, at home sample collection, accurate and timely reporting, and have the most competent team.