bodybuilding and alt,ast spikes

[dyce]

Happy new year.
                My last liver panel a couple mnths. ago showed my alt and ast levels a little high.This year I was going to gym and was getting into some pretty intence workouts.My ? is could the weight training have elavated thease levels?Im geno 1a with 5000000 viral load.Will go for bx in jan.
Rick

[sidey]

So your saying I should probably cut down on the pumping? That breaks my heart. I just started for the first time in my life to work out, and my arms are bigger then they ever have been. I was so proud to have some monkey arms and struting my stuff ! I went from 10 inch to 14 inches in two months.I guess I should ask my doctor, but she was so impressed too. Im lucky I think she has a crush on me .lol!! See lots of good things can come from this wonderful lil silent________________Well I won't say how i feel about it or you cool peeps might just ban me and I don't want that!!I will ask tomorrow , having the ole colan >oscopy. Not buy her though. **** oops I said a yucky word!! I chickened out the first time , but now my life depends on it. She told me to tell the doc. to make sure he goes down the esophagus first, bad taste if not !! lol. Thanx for the info about pumping iron~~~~~~~~~~~SIDEY~~~~~~~~~~~~

[cuteus]

how have you been? where have you been? long time no see, I hope all is well. I can't remember if you are still on tx, refresh some of the fog?
take care

[dyce]

Thanks for post.Yes I believe theres no doubt I was over doing it!Im waiting until bx report befor I consider any more weight training.Thamks again.
Rick

[Moeymitt]

Thanks for the post and encouragement. I am 1a and have been worried about the exercise and tx (which I have not started yet). I use a monitor for training so that is a great suggestion, I will become more dedicated to using it. Glad you are clear, when did you do tx and what did you do? Happy New Year.  MO

[terriri]

I am all for exercising during treatment, and do so throughout. But there is such a thing as doing too much. There are many things to consider when you are on any medications let alone TX. Just like people on blood pressure meds, or diabetics, people with thyroid problems and more, you have to exercise within a safe zone. If a normal zone for healthy people is 60 to 80%, you should stay round 40 to 50%. The exception would be if you were already highly fit to begin with and no other health issues, then maybe 60%. It is hard to find the energy to exercise but if you do not you will have considerable muscle loss by the end of treatment and possible bone loss. I found walks and Pilates very helpful for mind and body during treatment. Most days I could only do 10 minutes at a time with Pilates & would often break it up to ten minutes here and ten minutes there until I could get 20 to 30 minutes in. Another trick is to make sure your room is cool, around 68 to 72 degrees and drink lots of water before. If you are on beta blockers Pilates would not be a good choose, try lightweights. If you are diabetic, you should check with your doctor because exercise could affect insulin. If you have RA, light weight lifting should wait until flare-up is over. If in doubt about what percentage zone you should be working in buy a heart rate monitor, rebock has a decent one for around $40 and of course, polar hr monitors are great but expensive. Good luck & happy exercising

[Moeymitt]

Hi, Mine also went up recently, when I was dx in 2001 they were staying around 30 now, as of 2 wks ago, they are up to 301. I am the one someone made reference to who trained all summer for races and tri's. What a great summer!! I was so shocked when I went in for my 6 month check up and was told how high they were.  Most of the suggestions from the forum were to get rechecked. So, I went of all vitamins, herbs, etc. and will cool it on the training and have them checked again in 3 weeks. MY most recent bx in June was 1/1. Good luck and I am glad you are getting a bx soon, that will help ease your mind.

-----Mo

[NYgirl]

The "waiting game" is often the hardest part. It still is.  It seems no matter where we are with this disease we always end up "waiting" for something!

I'm glad you are having the bx.  Why guess you know, it's the one way to be pretty sure if you have time to wait or need to treat or whatever.


Slightly elevated doesn't seem really bad you know? Mine were in the 200s when I started and then dropped to 20.  I guess when they are that high they can be really sure that somehow your liver is getting killed.

I am going to believe that you are going to have great results...really good numbers on all fronts!  :)

[dyce]

I donot have the exact numbers in front of me but doc called 2weeks ago and stated the enzymes were only slightly elevated.As forthe c-scan Im like you Im not banking on that for telling me how much liver damage I may have.I am going for bx on jan 20th then Ill decide what to do.I had a bx in 1999 which showed no damage so maybe this virus is moving slow in me.Found out I have this in 1991 which then doc said I probably caught it in the mid 80s.
rick in suspended waitig game

[NYgirl]

How much did they go up and down?

Good luck on the bx results.  Once you get them you will know where you stand.  I hear so many people say well my cat scan was fine I don't need to treat and it makes me CRAZY since it has nothing to do with it.  

When do you get the results back?

[Tonyz]

I also do some intense Body building and have found a slight rise in my AST-ALT when a blood draw was done within a day or two after a significant workout.
The levels drop down when off my high Protein diet and taking a break from intense workouts.

                Blessings..........

                TonyZ

[dyce]

Thanks for info. Jim.Ive backed off the training until later on probably until bx result are back.about 2 months ago doc had c-scan done and it showed no liver abnormalities.I like to train,it gives me a feeling of well being.Im hoping bx shows low damage so I can make a decision on when to start tx.Happy new year and congrats on nearing end of tx.

[jmjm530]

The short answer is yes, maybe :)

Hepatologist Dr. Meslissa Parker lists the following as possible causes for raised liver ezymes and I'm sure the list is incomplete:

• A fatty liver
• Alcoholic liver disease
• Drug/medication-induced liver disease
• Autoimmune hepatitis
• Herbal toxicity
• Genetic liver diseases
• Liver tumors
• Heart failure
• Strenuous exercise

On a personal note -- not sure if you'd call them "spikes" but my liver enzymes did rise 10-15 points when I changed to the Zone diet and started to exercise vigorously. Was it the diet? Additional exercise? A combination? I also know that very early on in my liver disease -- 38-years ago to be almost exact -- vigorous exercise twice seemed the likely cause for a complete full-symptomatic relase including sky-high enzymes, jaundiced skin, dark urine, etc, etc. So, at least from personal experience, I'm pretty sure that vigorous exercise can effect the impaired liver in ways it can't a healthy one.

A recent thread by someone else -- maybe someone else can find it -- where a lady also complained of spiked enzymes and was wondering if it indicated progressive liver damage. She also mentioned she had be training for triatholons all year. I suggested that might be the reason.

The good news is that exercise or herbal induced enzyme spikes usually resolve when the exercise or herbs are reduced/changed or  eliminated from the equation. So, it doesn't necessarily correlate with progressive liver damage. That said, it's good your getting a biopsy soon, that will give you a very good indication of the state of your liver.

All the best going into the New Year and maybe pump those weights just a little bit less until things calm down.

-- Jim