Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, also known as gamma-glutamyl transferase or GGT, is an enzyme present in several organs and intervenes in specific vital processes of the system. Hence, an abnormal value of its amount in the blood usually indicates that something is wrong with your body. The most frequent alteration that becomes of medical importance is when the GGT is elevated since it usually represents severe problems and complications.
On the other hand, a lower amount of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase can cause concern if you do not know how to interpret it. For this reason, at FastlyHealwe want to inform you more about what low GGT means and other issues on the subject; however, it is essential that when performing a clinical test, you always go to the doctor so that he can establish a diagnosis and the treatment that continues if necessary.
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What is the GGT, and what is it for?
Perhaps you were not aware of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase even though it is involved in several reactions that promote the well-being of your body. This enzyme can be found in abundance in the liver. Still, it is also located in other internal structures, such as the pancreas, kidneys, spleen, heart, brain, and gallbladder, although its concentration is much lower.
The importance of GGT lies mainly in that its participation is essential in the synthesis and degradation of glutathione, a vital antioxidant for your body to eliminate toxic substances, regulate the immune system, repair cell damage due to stress or fatigue, protect DNA from anomalies, among many other benefits. Thus, GGT transfers the gamma-glutamyl part of glutathione to another component, a peptide, certain amino acids, or even a water molecule, managing to maintain intracellular homeostasis from oxidative stress.
In addition, being present in many tissues, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase is responsible for regulating the passage of amino acids through the cell membrane. It is also involved in the metabolism of various substances in your body, including leukotrienes, mediators of the inflammatory process.
What does low GGT mean?
The normal range for gamma-glutamyl transferase has a meager lower limit, so it is not usually a matter of concern if your GGT test results in shared values, as long as it corresponds to the range indicated by the test, but you must not forget that you should always consult a doctor to corroborate this condition since he will be the only one who can establish whether your situation is difficult or not. High GGT, however, can be a health problem.
On the other hand, if you are wondering what low GGT means, this result in your analysis may be because you are taking certain drugs, primarily contraceptive pills, calibrate if you suffer from a lipid metabolism disorder and want to reduce the cholesterol or triglyceride values, and the use of estrogen in hormone replacement treatments, although there are other medications that lower your blood level of gamma-glutamyltransferase and give you a wrong value, so you should tell your doctor if you are under some treatment and it will indicate the necessary time that you must stop consuming it before the analysis is carried out.
It is essential that these low GGT values are not caused by an alteration in the test, especially in cases where a liver disorder is suspected or another difficult situation in which the amount of this enzyme in the blood usually is high. . If, on the contrary, your analysis is correct, the low gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase means that there is no risk, or it is less, that you suffer damage to the functions of the liver, mainly.
It is also common for the level of gamma-glutamyltransferase in the blood to be contrasted with other enzymes, such as alkaline phosphatase. This comparison seeks to determine what is causing the increase in the other enzyme; for example, if the GGT is low and the alkaline phosphatase is high, it is an indication that you are suffering from some bone disease, and in this case, it may be an answer to your question about what low GGT means.
When to get a GGT test?
Generally, the doctor may recommend that you perform a gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase test if you have frequent symptoms of liver diseases, such as abdominal pain or swelling, vomiting, jaundice, dark urine, or feces with slight color; if you result with low GGT, it is usually ruled out liver or gallbladder damage. This assessment is also helpful when comparing it with analyzes of other enzymes since it makes it easier for the doctor to differentiate what is causing something wrong in your body.
Also, suppose you suffer from addiction to alcoholic beverages and are in treatment. In that case, the specialist may include the GGT test periodically to detect and monitor the consumption of alcohol and its elimination in your body.
When you obtain your blood gamma-glutamyl transferase values, and before you conclude, the doctor must review the test and tell you what the GGT value means because the range of normal levels can vary between laboratories, depending on the way they evaluate it or the measures they use. Still, in general, an average value of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase can be between 5 to 78 U / L. In the following article, you can learn more about average GGT values.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
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I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.