Elevated AST and GGT

  I have had the following lab results:
            1998   1995    1990   1987   1985   1980
  AST        34     44      23     71     19     26
  GGT        98     168     57     28     62
  ALK PHOS   68     68      89     88     40     49
  Uric Acid         5.7     6.1    5.9    6.3    7.1
  Are my liver test high because I am taking an aspirin everyday?  Would being 30 lbs. overweight cause  this?  Would eliminating coffee help?  What would you recommend?  I have no physical problems or symptoms.  Thanks  Bill

[HFHS-MD-dm]

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Dear Bill:
My understanding is that you have had liver enzyme tests done on a periodic basis between 1980 and 1998 and in the last 10 years especially the AST, the GGT and the ALK PHOS have shown mild elevations.  I also understand that you feel fine and have no major medical problems.
Let me answer some of your specific questions and then I can talk about the subject of elevated liver enzymes, in general.  As a general rule, I do not feel it its likely that your  elevated enzymes are caused by caffeine and aspirin.  While almost any medication or substance can potentially cause liver enzyme abnormalities, these two would not be commonly expected to cause problems.  
The enzyme abnormalities could, in fact, be caused by being 30 lbs overweight. There is a condition of the liver called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or fatty liver.  This is a condition of typically mild to moderate inflammation of the liver seen most commonly in patients who are obese or diabetic or who have high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.  The only problem with this diagnosis is that it is a diagnosis of exclusion.  That means we only consider the diagnosis when all other causes of liver damage have been ruled out.  So while your  liver enzyme abnormalities could be due to being 30 lbs overweight, I wouldn