There are enzymes inside your liver cells that indicate how healthy your liver is. One of them is Alanine aminotransferase (for short, ALT). These enzymes usually assist the liver in its functions. For example, ALT speeds up the breakdown of proteins in the liver. When these proteins are broken down, then your body can absorb them more easily. However, when there is liver damage or a disease that affects the liver, it may release too much of these enzymes into your blood. This leads to a rise in your blood ALT levels. In this article, we will show you how to lower liver enzymes quickly.
A high level of liver enzymes can indicate that there is a liver problem. This is the reason why most doctors would test for liver enzymes to find out if there is a liver condition. Several liver conditions can cause a spike in liver enzyme levels. They include non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease (NAFLD), overuse of pain medications, as well as long-term use of some prescription medications, such as those prescribed for cholesterol regulation. Excessive consumption of alcohol, obesity, heart failure, and hepatitis can also cause liver enzymes to increase. But then, no matter the cause of the elevated liver enzyme levels, you could bring them down by making lifestyle and dietary changes. However, you should also seek medical care and carry your doctor along to pinpoint and treat the underlying cause.
How to Lower Liver Enzymes Quickly
One of the ways to lower your liver enzymes very rapidly is to start consuming lots of folates. If you cannot get enough food supply, you can take the supplemental form, folic acid.
Folate-rich foods, as well as folic acid supplements, can significantly lower liver enzyme levels. Many times, the two names; folic acid and folate, are used alternatively, but they do not mean the same thing.
Both compounds are derivatives of vitamin B9. However, folate usually occurs naturally. It is the vitamin B9 form that you find naturally from food. Folic acid, on the other hand, is a synthetic Vitamin B9 form. It is often used as a supplement. Some processed foods are also fortified with folic acid.
Since they are different, your body usually processes each one different from the other. But that notwithstanding, they folic acid and folate have virtually the same health benefits on the liver health. Both of them can also lower liver enzymes, particularly ALT.
In 2011, some experts found out that a 0.8-milligram daily dosage of folic acid would significantly lower ALT levels if you combine it with medication. The results were far better than using medication alone.
A year after that, another group of experts found out that if you eat more folate, your ALT levels would reduce. They even found that folate-rich foods are good for lowering the risks of liver damage.
So then, as folate levels increase in your body, ALT levels would decrease. As such, if you aim to bring down the levels of liver enzyme, ALT in your blood, you should add more foods rich in folate to your daily diet.
What foods are rich in folate?
- Leafy greens, such as spinach and kale
- Asparagus
- Brussels sprout
- Legumes
- Bananas
- Beets
- Papaya
You may also try folic acid supplements if you can’t get enough folate from food. You would find folic acid supplements mostly in doses 0.4 or 0.8 milligrams. If you are not supporting folate intake through diet, you should go for the 0.8mg dosage.
Foods That Are Good For Your Liver
A low-fat diet with moderate carb intake is the best suitable diet for liver health. This diet is helpful for the treatment of NAFLD. It can even help prevent it altogether. Remember that NAFLD is one of the conditions that commonly lead to high levels of liver enzymes.
In 2013, a group of experts tries to swap just a meal each day for a low-fat meal that is heavily loaded with veggies. Do you know what they found out? This helped to significantly lower liver enzyme levels, particularly ALT within a month.
Earlier than that, some other experts studied the impact of low-carb, low-calorie diets on liver enzyme levels. They found out that this was very effective for reducing liver enzyme levels. This worked more for those who were overweight and had insulin resistance.
Anyways, the changes you would need to make in your diet to improve your liver health don’t necessarily have to be drastic. You can start slowly with little changes, and work your way up from there.
A good starting point is to eat a minimum of five servings of veggies or fresh fruits every day. The following tips would also be very beneficial as you make your weakly meal plan:
- Eat more fruits and veggies, but avoid added sugars, high-calorie sauces, and added salt
- Consume fish in your diet at least two times every week. Fishes that are high in omega-3s are your best options. They include trout out and salmon, among many others.
- For your dairy products and milk, go for low-fat or fat-free varieties.
- Replace trans-fats and saturated fats with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats
- Choose whole grains that are rich in fiber
- Go for lean cuts for your animal protein source. Examples include skinless chicken, fish, and the likes.
- Eat roasted or baked foods instead of fried foods
How About Early Morning Coffee?
A small study in 2013 examined people who have been diagnosed with chronic hepatitis-C. They wanted to know how early morning coffee affects their liver enzyme levels. The results were interesting.
Those who took their early morning filtered coffee daily had 3 times more chance of having normal liver enzyme levels, despite the disease.
In 2017, another group of experts tried to establish a safe range for coffee consumption for those who have liver disease. They suggested that anything between one to 4 cups of filtered coffee daily can aid in lowering liver enzyme levels.
It is amazing that when we talk about how to lower liver enzymes quickly, the normal early morning coffee routine is one of the methods. More so, it also reduces the risks of liver cancer as well as other liver diseases.
