Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST)

Found in liver, heart, and muscle. AST/ALT ratio (De Ritis) > 2 suggests alcoholic liver disease.

Units

U/L

Reference (Male)

8 – 48 U/L

Reference (Female)

8 – 43 U/L

Aliases

SGOT

What it measures

Found in liver, heart, and muscle. AST/ALT ratio (De Ritis) > 2 suggests alcoholic liver disease.

What a high value can mean

Liver injury, alcohol use, rhabdomyolysis, MI, hemolysis.

What a low value can mean

Rarely clinically significant.

Conditions it helps assess

Liver injury
Muscle injury
Heart injury

Reading these numbers in context

Reference ranges describe the central 95 % of a healthy reference population — 5 % of perfectly healthy people fall outside any given range by definition. A single mildly abnormal value is rarely meaningful on its own. blood-test.life always interprets values together with related biomarkers before flagging.

Related biomarkers in Liver Panel

Alanine Aminotransferase ALT Liver-specific enzyme released when hepatocytes are damaged. Alkaline Phosphatase ALP Enzyme from liver, bone, intestine, and placenta. Rises in biliary obstruction or bone turnover. Total Bilirubin TBIL Byproduct of red cell breakdown. Elevation causes jaundice.