Lab Results

[tatsuo]

I had blood work done recently as a follow-up from Hormone Replacement Therapy. My HRT was a combo of Deca at 200 ml once a week for 10 weeks and Winnie tabs at 50ml each day for 10 weeks. During the 10 weeks I also had 200ml of HGC once each week. This program ended the second week of February. This past week I received my blood work 3/21/06 which indicated my Hematocrit level was high at 50.1, based on a scale of 36.0 -50.0. Another mark in the high catagory was my ALT (SGPT) Liver Enzymes, scored at 65 on a scale of 0- 55. No other tested items scored abnormal in comparison to blood work I had in October of last year. My question is, besides avoiding liver toxic compounds and taking Milk Thistle, is there any way to help reduce my SGPT level? Should I even be alarmed? During my ten week cycle and including my current status, I have been taking Milk Thistle. 200 ml once each day.

I am a 37 year old male, body weight is 193lbs (not sure if this is needed info). I do not drink alcoholic beverages, but seem to find myself taking asprin, tylenol etc..... much too often. My HRT was legit, but I wanted a second opinions on what information I was given after my blood test results.

The advice I was given was not to worry about the liver enzyme level and to remain on Milk Thistle. I should have another blood test in four to eight weeks. I am sorry this thread is so long!

[basketcase]

I too had an abnormal liver enzyme levels and it was from taking way to much advil up to 8 a day a couple of times a week. Things are good now, but I Liverite, and milk thistle.

[dinoiii]

Honestly, your liver enzyme test will be more ideally based on a baseline value (of which, the minor elevation you show could be very well - your baseline). Did you have a CPK level drawn? If not, as you workout - you CANNOT make judgement on an "elevation" in LFTs as they are NOT specific despite their name. i.e. - muscle tissue when broken down also secretes them.

I do NOT think the Milk Thistle is entirely warranted but due to its safety profile, it couldn't hurt. There are some debates in the literature of its efficacy, just be wary of them. One way or the other, I do NOT think it will make a terrible difference with the values you post.

As far as Hematocrit (Hct), your value for a man doesn't excite me btw.

[tatsuo]

Thanks for the quick return on your opinions.

I am sure I did not have my CPK level drawn. I do not know what it is? I assume I can research it!

Regarding my baseline for my ALT, in Oct of 2005 my level was 26 and as I reported in my original post it is now 65 .

Thanks again for the insight.

[Splant]

Just in case you hadnt gotten around to learning about CPK, I figured I would help ya out. I am referencing one of my nursing texts....
CPK-creatine phosphokinase
Male Norms--55-170(values increase after excercise)
CPK is found predominately in heart, skeletal muscle and brain tissue. Elevation occurs when there is tissue injury/death. As for your hematocrit, my book says 52% is a high norm, but i have learned that every text and lab has a different norm range.
Hope this helps
sean

[dinoiii]

Good Lord - don't scare the guy. The nursing book has good suggestions and I am NOT going to say those are incorrect statements, but MUSCLE TRAUMA secondary to WORKING OUT produces CPK elevations (if you are doing "enough," of course).

If you are to screen for a complete panel

the MB fraction is what would sort of dictate "heart" (death as in myocardial infarction / heart attack!) - this is NOT what I am thinking ;)



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Again with the ALT a "slight" elevation could be dubious if it was combined with a "slight" elevation in AST, however, an isolated value as such likely points to an exogenous cause....metabolism of a PH, tylenol, alcohol, etc....

again a 40-point increase in isolated fashion as such is there - I am not excited. When you get repeat labs, if it has NOT returned to baseline, your appropriate move would be to consider oral ingestion of various things (i.e. - supplements, etc...) and see the effect it has on a subsequent test. While I would be hard up to suggest imaging - if cessation of various items doesn't produce positive results, imaging - Ultrasound, CT scan would be the next steps....

keep me posted.

[Splant]

no no no I never wanted to scare him...haha.....just quoting my lab book that was all. :)
Sean