BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuALP - blood testAlkaline phosphataseAlkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a protein found in all body tissues. Tissues with higher amounts of ALP include the liver, bile ducts, and bone.BileBile is a fluid that is made and released by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Bile helps with digestion. It breaks down fats into fatty acid...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article A blood test can be done to measure the level of ALP.A related test is the ALP isoenzyme test. ALP isoenzyme testAlkaline phosphatase (ALP) is an enzyme found in many body tissues such as liver, bile ducts, bone, and intestine. There are several different struc...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article How the Test is Performed A blood sample is needed. Most of the time, blood is drawn from a vein located on the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. Drawn from a veinVenipuncture is the collection of blood from a vein. It is most often done for laboratory testing.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article How to Prepare for the Test Many medicines can interfere with blood test results.Your health care provider will tell you if you need to stop taking any medicines before you have this test. DO NOT stop or change your medicines without talking to your provider first. How the Test will Feel You may feel slight pain or a sting when the needle is inserted. You may also feel some throbbing at the site after the blood is drawn. Why the Test is Performed This test may be done:To diagnose liver or bone disease To check if treatments for those diseases are working To check for side effects from medicines Normal Results The normal range is 44 to 147 international units per liter (IU/L) or 0.73 to 2.45 microkatal per liter (µkat/L).Normal values may vary slightly from laboratory to laboratory. They also can vary with age and sex. High levels of ALP are normally seen in children undergoing growth spurts and in pregnant women.The examples above show the common measurements for results for these tests. Some laboratories use different measurements or may test different specimens. What Abnormal Results Mean Abnormal results may be due to the following conditions:Higher-than-normal ALP levelsBiliary obstruction Biliary obstructionBile duct obstruction is a blockage in the tubes that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder and small intestine.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Bone disease Eating a fatty meal if you have blood type O or B Healing fracture Hepatitis HepatitisHepatitis is swelling and inflammation of the liver.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Hyperparathyroidism HyperparathyroidismHyperparathyroidism is a disorder in which 1 or more of the parathyroid glands in your neck produce too much parathyroid hormone (PTH).ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Hyperthyroidism Leukemia Liver disease Lymphoma Osteoblastic bone tumors Osteomalacia Paget disease of bone Paget diseasePaget disease is a disorder that involves abnormal bone destruction and regrowth. This results in deformity of the affected bones.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Sarcoidosis Lower-than-normal ALP levelsHypophosphatasia Hypothyroidism Malnutrition Pernicious anemia Protein deficiency ProteinProteins are the building blocks of life. Every cell in the human body contains protein. The basic structure of protein is a chain of amino acids. ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Wilson disease Zinc deficiencyOther conditions for which the test may be done:Alcoholic liver disease (hepatitis/cirrhosis) Alcoholic liver disease (hepatitis/cirr...Alcoholic liver disease is damage to the liver and its function due to alcohol abuse.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Alcohol use disorder Alcohol use disorderAlcohol use disorder is when your drinking causes serious problems in your life, yet you keep drinking. You may also need more and more alcohol to f...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Biliary stricture Biliary strictureA bile duct stricture is an abnormal narrowing, most often of the common bile duct. This is a tube that moves bile from the liver to the small intes...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Gallstones Giant cell (temporal, cranial) arteritis Giant cell (temporal, cranial) arteritiGiant cell arteritis (GCA) is inflammation and damage to the blood vessels that supply blood to the head, neck, upper body and arms. It is also call...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) II Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) IIMultiple endocrine neoplasia, type II (MEN II) is a disorder passed down through families in which one or more of the endocrine glands are overactive...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Pancreatitis Renal cell carcinomaRenal cell carcinomaRenal cell carcinoma is a type of kidney cancer that starts in the lining of very small tubes (tubules) in the kidney.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesFogel EL, Sherman S. Diseases of the gallbladder and bile ducts. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 146.Korenblat KM, Berk PD. Approach to the patient with jaundice or abnormal liver tests. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 138.Martin P. Approach to the patient with liver disease. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 137.Pincus MR, Abraham NZ, Bluth M. Interpreting laboratory results. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 9.AllVideoImagesTogBlood test - illustration Blood is drawn from a vein (venipuncture), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. Preparation may vary depending on the specific test.Blood testillustrationBlood test - illustration Blood is drawn from a vein (venipuncture), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. Preparation may vary depending on the specific test.Blood testillustration Tests for ALP - blood test ALP - blood testALP isoenzyme testAspartate aminotransferase (AST) blood testAlanine transaminase (ALT) blood testGamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) blood testRelated Information Enzyme(Special Topic)Bile(Special Topic)Osteomyelitis(Condition)Liver disease(Condition)Anemia(Condition)Bile duct obstruction(Condition)Broken bone(Injury)Hepatitis(Condition)Hyperparathyroidism(Condition)Bone tumor(Condition)Anemia - InDepth(In-Depth)Hepatitis - InDepth(In-Depth)Cirrhosis - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 6/20/2023 Reviewed By: Jacob Berman, MD, MPH, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. 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ALP - blood testAlkaline phosphataseAlkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a protein found in all body tissues. Tissues with higher amounts of ALP include the liver, bile ducts, and bone.BileBile is a fluid that is made and released by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Bile helps with digestion. It breaks down fats into fatty acid...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article A blood test can be done to measure the level of ALP.A related test is the ALP isoenzyme test. ALP isoenzyme testAlkaline phosphatase (ALP) is an enzyme found in many body tissues such as liver, bile ducts, bone, and intestine. There are several different struc...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article How the Test is Performed A blood sample is needed. Most of the time, blood is drawn from a vein located on the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. Drawn from a veinVenipuncture is the collection of blood from a vein. It is most often done for laboratory testing.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article How to Prepare for the Test Many medicines can interfere with blood test results.Your health care provider will tell you if you need to stop taking any medicines before you have this test. DO NOT stop or change your medicines without talking to your provider first. How the Test will Feel You may feel slight pain or a sting when the needle is inserted. You may also feel some throbbing at the site after the blood is drawn. Why the Test is Performed This test may be done:To diagnose liver or bone disease To check if treatments for those diseases are working To check for side effects from medicines Normal Results The normal range is 44 to 147 international units per liter (IU/L) or 0.73 to 2.45 microkatal per liter (µkat/L).Normal values may vary slightly from laboratory to laboratory. They also can vary with age and sex. High levels of ALP are normally seen in children undergoing growth spurts and in pregnant women.The examples above show the common measurements for results for these tests. Some laboratories use different measurements or may test different specimens. What Abnormal Results Mean Abnormal results may be due to the following conditions:Higher-than-normal ALP levelsBiliary obstruction Biliary obstructionBile duct obstruction is a blockage in the tubes that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder and small intestine.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Bone disease Eating a fatty meal if you have blood type O or B Healing fracture Hepatitis HepatitisHepatitis is swelling and inflammation of the liver.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Hyperparathyroidism HyperparathyroidismHyperparathyroidism is a disorder in which 1 or more of the parathyroid glands in your neck produce too much parathyroid hormone (PTH).ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Hyperthyroidism Leukemia Liver disease Lymphoma Osteoblastic bone tumors Osteomalacia Paget disease of bone Paget diseasePaget disease is a disorder that involves abnormal bone destruction and regrowth. This results in deformity of the affected bones.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Sarcoidosis Lower-than-normal ALP levelsHypophosphatasia Hypothyroidism Malnutrition Pernicious anemia Protein deficiency ProteinProteins are the building blocks of life. Every cell in the human body contains protein. The basic structure of protein is a chain of amino acids. ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Wilson disease Zinc deficiencyOther conditions for which the test may be done:Alcoholic liver disease (hepatitis/cirrhosis) Alcoholic liver disease (hepatitis/cirr...Alcoholic liver disease is damage to the liver and its function due to alcohol abuse.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Alcohol use disorder Alcohol use disorderAlcohol use disorder is when your drinking causes serious problems in your life, yet you keep drinking. You may also need more and more alcohol to f...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Biliary stricture Biliary strictureA bile duct stricture is an abnormal narrowing, most often of the common bile duct. This is a tube that moves bile from the liver to the small intes...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Gallstones Giant cell (temporal, cranial) arteritis Giant cell (temporal, cranial) arteritiGiant cell arteritis (GCA) is inflammation and damage to the blood vessels that supply blood to the head, neck, upper body and arms. It is also call...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) II Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) IIMultiple endocrine neoplasia, type II (MEN II) is a disorder passed down through families in which one or more of the endocrine glands are overactive...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Pancreatitis Renal cell carcinomaRenal cell carcinomaRenal cell carcinoma is a type of kidney cancer that starts in the lining of very small tubes (tubules) in the kidney.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesFogel EL, Sherman S. Diseases of the gallbladder and bile ducts. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 146.Korenblat KM, Berk PD. Approach to the patient with jaundice or abnormal liver tests. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 138.Martin P. Approach to the patient with liver disease. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 137.Pincus MR, Abraham NZ, Bluth M. Interpreting laboratory results. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 9.