Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) Blood Test

Measures AST, an enzyme found in liver, heart and skeletal muscle.

Measures

AST, an enzyme found in liver, heart and skeletal muscle.

Why it matters

AST is less liver-specific than ALT because muscle contains it too. That's why the two are usually read together — the relationship between them is more informative than either alone.

Recent intense exercise raises AST through muscle rather than liver, a common and avoidable source of confusion.

Before you collect

Avoid unusually heavy exercise for 48 hours beforehand.

Suits

People monitoring liver markers, usually alongside ALT.

Your next step

Once you have your results, book with a Canwell naturopath, nutritionist or practitioner to talk them through and build a wellness plan that suits you. Book with Canwell