A live function test is essential as it helps you monitor your liver health and its function. When your liver is functioning irregularly, it could mean there’s a presence of liver disease. Since these symptoms always take longer, liver function tests check for enzymes and proteins in your body that indicate how healthy your liver is through its function.
What is a liver function test?
A liver function test checks for proteins, enzymes, and other substances made by the liver to determine how well your liver is functioning. All these substances are tested through that one test, and their levels help assess your health.
When you take an at-home Liver Test, you can show the results to a healthcare professional if you feel abnormal to get help and further assessment. A liver function test can also help monitor the treatment and progression of an existing illness.
Liver function tests can also help screen for diseases like hepatitis and monitor the side effects of medications that you’re consuming. The test can also help determine the severity of liver disease.
Items tested on a liver function test
- Leukocytes: White blood cells naturally produced by the body to combat infections. Elevated levels may suggest the presence of a urinary tract infection (UTI) or kidney infection.
- Nitrites: Resulting from the conversion of nitrates by bacteria causing urinary tract infections (UTIs). A positive nitrite test could be indicative of a UTI.
- Urobilinogen: A by-product of Bilirubin breakdown. While minor amounts are typical, higher levels might signal liver disease.
- Ketone: Produced when the body can’t extract energy from glucose and resorts to burning body fat. Elevated ketone levels might result from factors like prolonged fasting (12-18 hours), dietary choices, or more severe conditions like diabetes.
- Bilirubin: A red blood cell breakdown by-product; its presence in urine could be an indication of liver disease.
- Glucose: Typically absent in urine due to kidney processing. The presence of glucose in urine may suggest undiagnosed diabetes.
- Protein: Elevated protein levels in a urine sample may indicate kidney disease.
- pH: Assesses the acidity or alkalinity of urine.
- Blood: A severe UTI/Cystitis can lead to blood in urine, along with potential causes like kidney stones or bladder/kidney cancer.
- Specific Gravity (S.G.): Increased specific gravity may signal a UTI, diabetes, or dehydration. Other potential issues include kidney infection, kidney failure, or heart failure.
When to use a liver function test
There are many functions of a liver test.
- It can help you determine damage caused by liver infections. These could include hepatitis B and C. It’s especially useful if you were exposed to the virus known to cause hepatitis.
- The liver test can help you know how a specific treatment plan works if you already have liver disease.
- To monitor the side effects of medications you’re using. It’s common for septic drugs to affect liver function. These include tuberculosis medicines, NSAIDs, statins, antiseizure medications, and antibiotics.
- If you consume alcohol often, a liver function test can help you know the health of your liver.
- Some medical conditions require constant monitoring of liver function. These include diabetes, high blood pressure, anemia, and high triglycerides.
- If you have gallbladder disease, it’s important to monitor liver function.
- If you come from a family with a history of liver disorders such as fatty liver disease, then you must monitor your liver function and health.
Different types of tests help you determine specific issues when it comes to your liver condition. You can always inquire about what your needs are before the purchase.
Symptoms of liver disease
The liver organ is quite interesting; it often tends to heal itself after damage. However, in some cases, like when you have a liver disorder, it is life-threatening, and knowing earlier on can help you manage the illness. When you have liver disease, common symptoms to witness include the following:
- Yellowing of skin and eyes (jaundice)
- Fatigue
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Loss of energy or weakness
- Weightloss
- Dark urine or light stools
- Nausea or vomiting
If you experience one or more of these symptoms, taking a Liver Function Test is necessary to investigate your liver condition further. It is essential to detect liver disease in its early stages as it helps you manage it.
Ways to improve your liver health
Besides taking a liver function test to help you monitor the health of your liver, there are many ways you can improve your liver health. Even though there are many ways to improve your liver health, the top ones include managing your diet and lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle that promotes a healthy diet and physical exercise can help you have the perfect liver health.
Eat a varied, nutritious diet that excludes or limits food high in fats, sugar, and salt. Fried foods are something you’ll need to avoid for your liver health. You must also avoid undercooked seafood like oysters, shellfish, and crabs.
When preparing your diet plan, ensure it includes lots of fiber and is balanced. Consistently exercising your body will also help you maintain a healthy liver. When you exercise consistently and maintain a healthy diet, you can keep your body mass index below 30, which helps keep your liver healthy.
Hydration is vital, too, when it comes to liver health. Lots of water and minimal alcohol consumption can help you immensely improve your liver function. For your liver to function correctly, it requires water.
Final thoughts
Once you take an at-home Liver Function Test and notice abnormal results, you can consult your healthcare professional to help you do specific tests to determine the problem further. If you notice symptoms of a possible liver disease, taking a liver function test to know what’s going on and taking care of it before it progresses is necessary. Sometimes, your doctor will need further blood tests or do a liver biopsy to determine the problem before getting a sure diagnosis.
