Which liver function指标 is affected by testing after a meal?

Under normal circumstances, liver function tests performed after meals may be affected in indicators such as triglycerides, total bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and albumin. The specific analysis is as follows:

1. Triglycerides: After eating, especially after consuming high-fat foods, the intestines absorb large amounts of fat, increasing the liver's metabolic burden. This leads to a temporary rise in blood triglyceride levels, which fails to reflect the body’s true baseline level and may result in misdiagnosis of hyperlipidemia.

2. Total Bilirubin: Pigments or certain components in food may interfere with chemical reactions during testing, causing inaccurate readings for total bilirubin. Additionally, post-meal gallbladder contraction and bile secretion may indirectly affect the liver's bilirubin metabolism temporarily, leading to unreliable results.

3. Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT): This marker is relatively sensitive to dietary influences. After eating, the liver enters an active metabolic state, increasing the metabolic load on hepatocytes, which may cause a small amount of ALT to be released into the bloodstream. This can lead to a mild elevation in test values, potentially masking or exaggerating actual liver inflammation.

4. Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST): Although AST is slightly less affected by diet than ALT, enhanced liver metabolic activity after meals—along with increased mitochondrial activity—may still cause minor fluctuations in AST levels. These changes are more pronounced after consuming high-protein or irritating foods.

5. Albumin: Temporary changes in blood fluid distribution may occur after eating. Meanwhile, the digestion and absorption of food require the liver to synthesize other substances, which might briefly influence the measured concentration of albumin, resulting in falsely low or high readings and impairing accurate assessment of the liver’s synthetic function.

To ensure accurate liver function test results, it is recommended to fast for 8–12 hours before the test. Small amounts of water are allowed, but eating, drinking alcohol, and taking medications that may affect test indicators should be avoided.