Liver Function Tests
Private Liver Function Tests in London for £48, measuring 7 liver-related biomarkers with results expected in around 1 business day.
Turnaround time
1 day
Biomarkers count
7
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Overview of the Liver Function Tests
The Liver Function Tests blood panel measures seven biomarkers associated with liver-cell health, bile flow, protein production and iron storage.
The test contains 7 biomarkers: Aspartate Aminotransferase, Alanine Aminotransferase, Albumin, Alkaline Phosphatase, Bilirubin (Total), Ferritin and Gamma- glutamyltransferase.
The liver performs hundreds of essential functions. It processes nutrients, metabolises medicines and alcohol, produces important proteins, helps regulate energy stores and removes substances from the bloodstream.
Liver disease can develop without obvious symptoms, particularly during its earlier stages. Blood testing can therefore identify biochemical changes before a person necessarily feels unwell.
Alanine Aminotransferase and Aspartate Aminotransferase are enzymes that can rise when cells containing them are injured. ALT is more concentrated in the liver, while AST is also found in skeletal muscle and other tissues.
Alkaline Phosphatase and Gamma- glutamyltransferase provide useful information about the liver and biliary system. A raised ALP can arise from liver, bile-duct or bone sources, while GGT can help determine whether an ALP elevation is more likely to have a hepatobiliary origin.
Bilirubin (Total) reflects the processing and excretion of bilirubin, a substance produced during normal breakdown of red blood cells.
Albumin is produced by the liver and contributes to fluid balance and transport of hormones, medicines and other substances. Low Albumin has many possible causes and does not automatically indicate liver failure.
Ferritin reflects stored iron but also behaves as an acute-phase protein. It may increase with inflammation, infection, metabolic liver disease and iron overload.
The markers should therefore be interpreted as a pattern rather than seven independent diagnostic tests.
Normal Liver Function Tests do not exclude every form of liver disease, while abnormal results do not automatically establish a specific diagnosis.
What Does the Liver Function Tests Check?
This test measures 7 biomarkers.
Aspartate Aminotransferase
Measures AST, an enzyme found in the liver, skeletal muscle and other tissues. Increased levels can occur when cells containing AST are injured.
Alanine Aminotransferase
Measures ALT, an enzyme concentrated predominantly in liver cells and commonly used when assessing hepatocellular injury.
Alkaline Phosphatase
Measures ALP, an enzyme associated particularly with the liver, bile ducts and bone. The pattern with GGT can help provide context.
Gamma- glutamyltransferase
Measures GGT, an enzyme associated with the hepatobiliary system that can increase with bile-flow disturbance, alcohol exposure and selected medicines.
Albumin
Measures the main circulating protein produced by the liver and provides information relevant to protein synthesis, nutrition and fluid balance.
Bilirubin (Total)
Measures total Bilirubin produced during normal red-cell breakdown and processed through the liver and biliary system.
Ferritin
Measures the major iron-storage protein. Ferritin can increase with iron overload but also rises during inflammation and some liver conditions.
Who May Benefit From the Liver Function Tests?
Liver Function Tests may be useful for routine screening, investigation of symptoms, monitoring medication or following up a previous abnormal result.
People with a previous abnormal liver blood test - Repeat testing can help establish whether an enzyme elevation was temporary or remains persistent.
People who drink alcohol regularly - Alcohol can affect liver enzymes and contribute to liver injury in susceptible individuals.
People with metabolic risk factors - Obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and raised triglycerides are associated with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.
People taking medicines that require liver monitoring - Certain medicines can alter liver enzymes or, more rarely, cause clinically important liver injury.
People with known fatty liver disease - Blood markers can contribute to ongoing monitoring, although normal enzymes do not exclude significant steatosis or fibrosis.
People with viral hepatitis risk factors - LFT abnormalities may occur with hepatitis, although specific viral testing is required to identify the cause.
People with suspected iron overload - Ferritin provides an initial marker of iron stores but should be interpreted alongside Transferrin Saturation and other iron studies.
People with unexplained jaundice - Bilirubin and other liver markers can contribute to identifying the biochemical pattern.
People undergoing routine health screening - Liver abnormalities can occur before noticeable symptoms develop.
How to Prepare
Do not stop prescribed treatment solely to improve a Liver Function Test result.
Persistent abnormalities should usually be interpreted alongside medication, alcohol exposure, metabolic risk, infection history and further investigations where appropriate.
Symptoms and Reasons to Consider the Liver Function Tests
Liver disease can be asymptomatic, but several symptoms may prompt biochemical assessment.
Persistent unexplained fatigue - Liver conditions can contribute to tiredness, although fatigue has many more common causes.
Yellowing of the skin or eyes - Jaundice can occur when Bilirubin accumulates and requires appropriate clinical assessment.
Dark urine - Increased conjugated Bilirubin entering the urine can produce darker urine in some hepatobiliary conditions.
Pale stools - Reduced bile reaching the intestine can alter stool colour and may occur with biliary obstruction.
Pain or discomfort in the upper right abdomen - Liver or gallbladder disorders can sometimes cause discomfort in this area.
Persistent nausea or reduced appetite - Gastrointestinal symptoms can occur with liver disease but are non-specific.
Unexplained abdominal swelling - Significant chronic liver disease can contribute to fluid accumulation within the abdomen.
Swelling of the ankles or legs - Fluid retention may occur in advanced liver disease but has many other cardiovascular and renal causes.
Unexplained itching with jaundice or abnormal liver results - Cholestatic liver and bile-duct conditions can cause significant pruritus.
A previous unexpectedly raised ALT, AST, ALP, GGT or Bilirubin result - Repeat testing can determine whether the abnormality persists.
These symptoms are not specific to liver disease and should be assessed in the wider clinical context.
New jaundice, severe abdominal pain, vomiting blood, marked abdominal swelling, confusion or rapid deterioration requires prompt medical assessment rather than routine monitoring alone.
How to Book Your Liver Function Tests
Booking your Liver Function Tests with London Blood Tests is straightforward.
Choose the Liver Function Tests
Select the seven-marker Liver Function Tests panel online.
Select your sample collection option
Choose an in-clinic blood draw or professional home or hotel phlebotomy depending on location and availability.
Attend your appointment
A trained healthcare professional collects the required venous blood sample.
Laboratory analysis
Your sample is analysed for the seven liver, biliary, protein and iron-storage biomarkers included in the panel.
Receive your results securely
Your authorised laboratory report is delivered securely and can be reviewed with a GP or other suitably qualified healthcare professional.
When Will I Receive My Results?
The expected turnaround time for the Liver Function Tests is approximately 1 business day after your blood sample reaches the laboratory.
These biomarkers are routinely processed, so analysis can generally be completed quickly once the sample has entered the laboratory system.
Your report is released after the individual measurements, laboratory quality-control procedures and authorisation are complete.
Courier collection time, weekends, sample-quality concerns or occasional repeat analysis can extend the overall time between your blood draw and receiving the final report.
If the Liver Function Tests are ordered alongside specialist liver investigations, those additional tests may take considerably longer even though this seven-marker panel itself is normally available within approximately one business day.
Understanding Your Results
Liver Function Tests are best interpreted by examining the pattern of abnormalities.
Predominantly raised ALT and AST can suggest hepatocellular injury, although AST can also arise from skeletal muscle.
A disproportionate rise in ALP and GGT can suggest a cholestatic or biliary pattern.
Raised Bilirubin has multiple causes, including increased red-cell breakdown, inherited conditions such as Gilbert syndrome and hepatobiliary disease.
A low Albumin concentration can occur with chronic liver disease but can also result from inflammation, kidney protein loss, malnutrition and other conditions.
Ferritin can be elevated because of increased iron stores, but inflammation, infection, obesity and liver disease can also raise the result.
Normal liver enzymes do not completely rule out fatty liver, fibrosis or other chronic liver disease.
Likewise, one mildly abnormal result does not necessarily indicate significant liver disease.
Persistent or marked abnormalities may require additional testing such as viral hepatitis serology, full iron studies, autoimmune liver antibodies, ultrasound or fibrosis assessment.
Why Book With London Blood Tests?
Private liver testing in London - Access a seven-marker liver panel privately without waiting for a routine appointment.
Seven complementary biomarkers - The panel assesses enzymes, bile processing, protein production and Ferritin.
Useful for medication monitoring - Results can support appropriate monitoring of medicines that may affect the liver.
Relevant to metabolic liver health - Liver markers can form part of assessment for metabolic fatty liver disease.
Fast results - The expected turnaround is approximately 1 business day after laboratory receipt.
Trusted UK laboratories - Samples are analysed through established professional laboratory services.
Clinic and home collection options - Professional phlebotomy can be arranged according to location and availability.
Clear pricing - The Liver Function Tests panel costs £48.
Private Liver Function Tests Blood Test in London
London Blood Tests provides private Liver Function Tests in London for people requiring routine liver screening, monitoring or investigation of abnormal liver-related biomarkers.
The test costs £48 and measures 7 biomarkers.
Results are expected approximately 1 business day after laboratory receipt.
The results should be interpreted as a combined biochemical pattern rather than used to diagnose a liver condition from one individual marker.