Elevated Liver Enzymes

[EJR]

The day after doing a gluten challenge (after being almost gluten free for 1 1/2 years) I happened to have bloodwork done. My doctor just called and the tests showed elevated liver enzymes. This has never been seen before in my bloodwork.

I'm planning to go back in a three weeks or so and be restested. I will remain gluten free and see if the liver enzymes have returned to normal levels. Has anyone ever heard of this? I understand that elevated liver enzymes are fairly common in folks with celiac disease but I have never had them before.

Can anyone relate? Any ideas?

Joyce

[jerseyangel]

Hi Joyce,

My liver enzymes were elevated before diagnosis, and they will go up slightly when I get glutened. Hopefully at your re-test, yours will have gone back to normal.

[CaraLouise]

Yep! Mine too!

[EJR]

Hi Cara and JerseyAngel,

Kind of blew my first attempt to respond here. I appreciate your responses very much.

These are the readings I got yesterday from the doctor:

AST 64 10-35 Normal Range

ALT 77 5-45 Normal Range

GGT 57 10-35 Normal Range

Are these the kind of readings that you get after being glutened? Would these readings be considered slightly elevated? I understand that with major liver problems they can be much, much higher (like 10X the normal range).

Did you have elevated readings most of the time before going gluten free or do they occur mostly after accidental glutenings?

Thanks for your help,

Joyce

[jerseyangel]

These are the readings I got yesterday from the doctor:

AST 64 10-35 Normal Range

ALT 77 5-45 Normal Range

GGT 57 10-35 Normal Range

Are these the kind of readings that you get after being glutened? Would these readings be considered slightly elevated? I understand that with major liver problems they can be much, much higher (like 10X the normal range).

Did you have elevated readings most of the time before going gluten free or do they occur mostly after accidental glutenings?

Yes, these are slightly elevated numbers. Mine were similar--I don't remember the exact figures, only that the doctor repeated the test a week later and they continued to go up.

I never had elevated enzymes until right before I was diagnosed. At that time, my symptoms were severe and my doctor was doing every test she could think of. My thyroid was also slightly out of range, and my iron was very low.

Tests about 6 months after I went gluten-free revealed normal enzymes and also that my anemia had resolved.

I found out that gluten continues to affect my enzymes when I had routine bloodwork done while eating a food daily for months that I didn't realize was cross contaminated. I had been not feeling well for weeks at that point. I was referred to a gastroenterologist for a workup, and after an ultrasound (elevated liver enzymes can be a symptom of gallbladder problems), lots more bloodwork including for hepatitis, and an endoscopy, the gastro said that the elevated enzymes were "sprue related". They have since gone back to normal levels.

[CaraLouise]

Mine were similar too! In fact, one of the reasons I left my last job was because it was in a restaurant and at my yearly appt. they always test my liver enzymes and they were elevated again. I guess it was do to being in a gluten filled environment all day. But after a few months they went back down again.

[Brooklyn528]

Hello! My LFT's were also elevated at diagnosis, but mine were in the 200's range. Slight elevations in LFT's like the numbers you have are related to Celiac Disease. Mine were way above that though. If they get to that range, it is no longer being caused by celiac disease and further testing is warranted. You are at higher risk of getting Autoimmune Hepatitis when you have Celiac Disease. This is what I was diagnosed with in September after my liver enzymes soared to 400. I'm just wanting to make sure you know this also. Keep up on the blood work. Hope they stay only slightly elevated!

Brooklyn

[EJR]

Thank you so much for your replies (Cara, Jerseyangel & Brooklyn). Your experiences and knowledge are very, very helpful. I'm still wrestling with whether or not I really have gluten intolerance/Celiac disease because I don't have an official medical diagnosis (biopsy or bloodwork). Unfortunately I was already gluten free before having these done. I did have testing by Enterolab this September (after being strictly gluten free for 6 months and 98% gluten free for 1 year prior to that). The test showed elevated fecal anti-gliadin IgA but normal fecal antitissue transglutaminase IgA. I have one of the main celiac genes (usually abbreviated as DQ8) and according to Enterolab one non-celiac gene predisposing to gluten sensitivity. Hence my frustration with not feeling totally better on the gluten free diet and my subsequent gluten challenge which only lasted for a total of 3 days. The first day I didn't seem to notice much but by the second day things started to get worse. I will stay gluten free now and ask for repeat bloodwork early in the new year. I will post and let you know when I get those results. I may just have performed an experiment on myself (gluten challenge = elevated liver enzymes). We shall see. Should this be the case it is certainly for me at least another piece of the puzzle and a strong piece of evidence for remaining gluten free.

Blessings of the season to you and yours,

Joyce

[jerseyangel]

Best of luck with it, Joyce, and definitely let us know how you do.

Happy Holidays!!