Other names: AST / SGOT, AST/SGOT, AST (SGOT), ASPARTATE TRANSFERASE
What is AST?
Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)—formerly known as serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT)—is an enzyme involved in amino acid metabolism and energy production within cells. While the liver contains the highest concentrations, AST is also present in skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, kidneys, brain tissue, and red blood cells.
What does the AST test measure?
A blood AST test measures the amount of this enzyme circulating in the bloodstream. Because AST is normally stored inside cells, only small amounts should be present in blood. When liver or muscle cells are injured, AST is released, leading to elevated levels.
Why this marker matters
AST is widely used to evaluate:
Suspected liver inflammation or injury
Alcohol-related liver disease
Viral hepatitis
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD/NASH)
Medication- or toxin-induced liver damage
Muscle injury or breakdown (myopathy, rhabdomyolysis)
Heart or systemic tissue damage
AST results are rarely interpreted in isolation. Clinicians typically compare AST to alanine aminotransferase (ALT).
ALT > AST is more typical of non-alcoholic liver injury.
AST > ALT, especially ratios ≥2:1, may suggest alcohol-associated liver disease.
High AST with normal ALT may point toward muscle disorders, hemolysis, thyroid disease, or strenuous exercise rather than liver disease.
Symptoms associated with abnormal AST
Depending on the cause, people may experience:
Fatigue or weakness
Nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite
Right-upper abdominal pain or fullness
Jaundice (yellowing of skin or eyes)
Dark urine or pale stools
Itching or abdominal swelling
Muscle soreness, cramps, or injury
When AST may be ordered
Routine health checkup (as part of CMP)
Monitoring known liver disease
Evaluating medication effects on the liver
Investigating unexplained symptoms, abnormal imaging, or elevated other liver markers
Assessing potential alcohol-related injury
After physical trauma, intense exercise, or muscle symptoms
Important testing considerations
AST can temporarily increase due to:
Strenuous exercise or heavy weightlifting
Recent muscle injury, surgery, or injections
Some medications (statins, antibiotics, anticonvulsants)
Alcohol use
Hemolysis during blood draw
Pregnancy
Because AST is found outside the liver, elevated values do not automatically mean liver disease—clinical history, symptoms, medications, and other labs (ALT, ALP, GGT, bilirubin, CK) are essential for interpretation.
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Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) is an enzyme found in the liver, heart, skeletal muscles, and other tissues. When these cells are injured—most commonly in the liver, but also in muscles or the heart—AST leaks into the bloodstream. A high AST result indicates that some form of tissue damage has occurred, but the test alone cannot identify where the injury is coming from or what caused it.
Higher AST levels are often associated with:
Liver conditions (fatty liver, hepatitis, cirrhosis, alcohol-related liver injury)
Heart problems (heart attack or other cardiac injury)
Muscle disorders or injury (myopathy, inflammation, rhabdomyolysis)
Gallbladder or bile duct disease
Medications or supplements that affect the liver
Heavy alcohol use or toxin exposure
Infections (viral hepatitis, mononucleosis) or iron overload
AST may rise for reasons unrelated to serious disease, including:
Recent strenuous exercise or intense strength training
Minor muscle injury or trauma
Use of certain medicines (statins, antibiotics, antifungals)
Pregnancy or dehydration
Surgery, seizures, burns, or recent medical procedures
AST is rarely interpreted on its own. Your clinician will review it together with other blood markers—such as ALT, ALP, GGT, bilirubin, or creatine kinase (CK)—and your medical history:
AST much higher than ALT may suggest alcohol-related liver injury
ALT higher than AST is more typical of non-alcoholic liver inflammation
High AST with normal ALT may point to muscle or heart injury rather than liver disease
A mildly elevated AST does not always mean a serious problem—temporary increases can occur from exercise, medications, alcohol intake, or normal biological variation. However, if your AST is significantly elevated or remains high over time, your healthcare provider may recommend repeat testing, hepatitis screening, muscle enzyme tests, imaging, or medication review to help determine the cause and guide treatment.
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What fantastic service and great, easy-to-follow layouts! I love your website; it makes it so helpful to see patterns in my health data. It's truly a pleasure to use. I only wish the NHS was as organized and quick as Healthmatters.io. You've set a new standard for health tracking!
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As a PRO member and medical practitioner, Healthmatters.io has been an invaluable tool for tracking my clients' data. The layout is intuitive, making it easy to monitor trends and spot patterns over time. The ability to customize reports and charts helps me present information clearly to my clients, improving communication and outcomes. It's streamlined my workflow, saving me time and providing insights at a glance. Highly recommended for any practitioner looking for a comprehensive and user-friendly solution to track patient labs!
A low AST level is generally not considered clinically concerning and usually does not indicate disease. In rare cases, very low AST may reflect vitamin B6 deficiency or kidney disease, since AST activity depends on vitamin B6. Most of the time, low AST is simply a normal finding and does not require further evaluation unless symptoms or other labs suggest otherwise.
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Anthony
Unlimited Plan Member since 2021
I have been using Healthmatters.io since 2021. I travel all over the world and use different doctors and health facilities. This site has allowed me to consolidate all my various test results over 14 years in one place. And every doctor that I show this to has been impressed. Because with any health professional I talk to, I can pull up historical results in seconds. It is invaluable. Even going back to the same doctor, they usually do not have the historical results from their facility in a graph format. That has been very helpful.
Karin
Advanced Plan Member since 2020
What fantastic service and great, easy-to-follow layouts! I love your website; it makes it so helpful to see patterns in my health data. It's truly a pleasure to use. I only wish the NHS was as organized and quick as Healthmatters.io. You've set a new standard for health tracking!
Paul
Healthmatters Pro Member since 2024
As a PRO member and medical practitioner, Healthmatters.io has been an invaluable tool for tracking my clients' data. The layout is intuitive, making it easy to monitor trends and spot patterns over time. The ability to customize reports and charts helps me present information clearly to my clients, improving communication and outcomes. It's streamlined my workflow, saving me time and providing insights at a glance. Highly recommended for any practitioner looking for a comprehensive and user-friendly solution to track patient labs!
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Adjusted Calcium, Alanine-aminotransferase (ALT, SGPT), Albumin, Serum, Albumin/Globulin (A/G) Ratio, Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), Aspartate-aminotransferase (AST, SGOT), AST/ALT Ratio, Bilirubin Total, Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), Bone Isoenzymes, BUN/Creatinine Ratio, Calcium, Serum, Calcium, Total (RBCs), Calcium/ Albumin Ratio, Calcium/Phosphorous Ratio, Carbon Dioxide (CO2), CHLORIDE, RANDOM URINE, Chloride, Serum, CHLORIDE/CREAT RATIO, Creatine Clearance, Creatinine, Serum, eGFR - Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (African Am), eGFR - Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (Non-African Am), eGFR / Cystatin C, Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4), Globulin, Serum (aka Globulin, Total), Glucose, Glucose Non-Fasting, Intestinal Isoenzymes (Alkaline Phosphatase), Liver Isoenzymes, Macrohepatic Isoenzymes, Placental Isoenzymes, POTASSIUM, RANDOM URINE, Potassium, Serum (Kalium), POTASSIUM/CREAT RATIO, Selenium, RBC, SODIUM, RANDOM URINE, Sodium, Serum (Natrium), SODIUM/CREAT RATIO, Sodium/Potassium Ratio, Total Protein, Serum, Urea
