Can Stress Cause Elevated Liver Enzymes? Stress and anxiety are proven to contribute to high liver enzyme levels since they can reduce blood flow to the liver. Stress is also connected to high cortisol levels, which, in turn, is connected to liver damage.
Psychological stress is associated with a variety of pathological conditions resulting in liver injury through multiple systems, including the sympathetic nervous and adrenocortical system.
More common causes of elevated liver enzymes include: Over-the-counter pain medications, particularly acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) Certain prescription medications, including statin drugs used to control cholesterol. Drinking alcohol.
During stress, natural killer cells (NKT) are expanded in the liver and, in some of these cases, contributed to liver cell death and worsening of liver disease. In the part of the brain that controls the liver, stress was found to impair blood flow and may lead to or trigger liver damage.
Diagnostic Testing
If elevated abnormal liver enzymes are present, it could indicate liver damage, as these enzymes are normally only found within the liver. In most cases, liver enzyme levels are only mildly or temporarily elevated and don't signal a serious liver problem.
If your liver enzymes stay high, your provider may order more blood tests, or imaging tests such as ultrasound, CT scan or MRI. They may also refer you to a liver specialist (hepatologist). Treatment will depend on what's causing the elevated liver enzymes.
An AST/ALT ratio higher than one (where the AST is higher than ALT) means you may have cirrhosis. An AST/ALT ratio higher than 2:1 (where the AST is more than twice as high as the ALT) is a sign of alcoholic liver disease.
Sometimes, factors such as hormonal changes or reactions to medications can cause temporarily elevated liver enzyme levels. Elevated levels caused by these factors will generally return to normal in about 2 to 4 weeks without treatment.
Interestingly, psychological stress itself can induce both IL-6 and TNF-α within the liver, suggesting a potential direct link between psychological stress and hepatic inflammation (21).
Elevated liver enzymes are a warning sign of possible liver damage, irritation or inflammation. Elevated liver enzymes are usually due to common conditions that are easily treated or resolve on their own. Rarely, they may be due to a serious or even life-threatening disease.
Normalization should occur and it would take around one year. Even though the enzymes are expect to return to normal if there is no further toxins exposure within next four to six months, complete recovery will take up to one year.
A meta-analysis showed that psychological distress such as depression and anxiety was associated with mortality in chronic liver disease (26).
So, when the liver is stressed, it can disturb our emotional health. Emotions like anger, impatience, irritability and depression are common symptoms when the liver is in distress.
Also known as hepatic steatosis, the research shows that brain ER stress can cause the disease independent of changes in body weight, food intake, and other factors. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease impairs normal liver function and is linked to other diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
It's also not unusual for some people to temporarily have increased liver enzymes. If a blood test shows that you have transaminitis, it's important to work with your doctor to rule out any possible underlying causes because many of them can lead to serious liver damage and even liver failure if left untreated.
The liver also has a lot to do with stress and anger. Physically, an imbalanced liver can create tight tendons, necks and shoulders, and emotionally it can lead to a tightness of the spirit. The key emotions of the liver are anger and frustration.
Typically the range for normal AST is reported between 10 to 40 units per liter and ALT between 7 to 56 units per liter. Mild elevations are generally considered to be 2-3 times higher than the normal range. In some conditions, these enzymes can be severely elevated, in the 1000s range.
Increase folate consumption
Introducing folate-rich food to the diet and taking folic acid supplements can help lower elevated liver enzymes. One 2016 study linked folate deficiency with increased ALT levels and liver damage and found that folic acid reduced ALT levels in people with liver damage.
The researchers behind one 2013 study found that 7 grams per day of Epaclin, a food supplement containing silymarin, vitamin E, and amino acids, significantly lowered the levels of enzymes that doctors associate with liver damage.
An ALT test result of >100 IU/l is a clear indicator of serious liver disease, but a mildly elevated ALT result (30–100 IU/l) is often ascribed to the use of medication (for example statins) or alcohol, obesity, or, for lower ALT levels (<50 IU/l), considered as part of the normal distribution of test results.