In an earlier post about my checkup results, I summed up my liver numbers in one line: all normal. AST 26, ALT 22, GGT 19. I wrote the numbers down without explaining what they actually mean. This time I wanted to dig into that.
What AST, ALT, and GGT Actually Are
All three are enzymes that live inside liver cells. When liver cells get damaged, these enzymes leak into the bloodstream. That is why a blood test can give a rough sense of how much stress your liver is under. AST and ALT reflect liver cell damage. GGT is especially tied to alcohol use and fatty liver. Lower numbers across the board generally mean an easier time for your liver.
Where My Numbers Landed
My report showed AST 26, normal is 7 to 40. ALT 22, normal is 4 to 35. GGT 19, normal is 11 to 63. All three inside the normal range. Unlike cholesterol or blood sugar, nothing here was flagged in red. That said, I had already lost some weight by the time I took this test, and I never had these numbers checked back when I weighed 90.9kg, so there is no way to compare directly.
What Does Weight Have to Do With Liver Enzymes
Being overweight or obese is one of the main risk factors for fatty liver, where fat builds up inside the liver. When that happens, liver cells come under stress, and enzymes like AST, ALT, and GGT often rise as a result. I never had this test done at 90.9kg, so I do not know what my numbers looked like then. But given that my body fat percentage had climbed to 32.3% around that time, it seems reasonable to think my liver was carrying a heavier load back then than it is now.
What I’m Still Doing Even Though Everything’s Normal
Normal results are not a reason to stop paying attention. I try not to drink more than two days a week, and I cap it at two or three drinks on the days I do. I keep up cardio through jump rope. I am cutting back on processed food and fried food, and I plan to keep my next checkup on schedule instead of putting it off.
Wrapping Up
AST 26, ALT 22, and GGT 19 are not numbers worth worrying about right now. But understanding what they mean, and how they connect to body weight, made it clear this is not a category to ignore just because it is normal. Keeping normal numbers normal turned out to take just as much attention as losing the weight did in the first place.