Gamma-glutamyl transferase

What it is

Gamma-glutamyl transferase is an enzyme measured in blood in liver and bile-duct context.^[1,2]

Why it matters

GGT can help place alkaline phosphatase and other liver-test changes into liver or bile-flow context.^[1,2]

Root causes of abnormal values

• Physical core: GGT rises when more of this enzyme enters blood from liver or bile-duct context. The useful question is not 'what disease is this?', but what pattern of liver injury, bile-flow stress, alcohol or medication context, and other tests surrounds the signal.^[1,2]
  Bile flow and cholestasisAlkaline phosphataseBilirubinAlanine aminotransferase (ALT)Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)
• Pattern layer: GGT can be especially useful beside alkaline phosphatase because the pair helps place a lab pattern into liver or bile-duct context. By itself, GGT is not specific enough to identify the cause.^[1,2]
  Alkaline phosphataseBile flow and cholestasisBilirubin
• Boundary: BioConst can explain GGT as a pattern-dependent enzyme signal, but it does not diagnose alcohol-related disease, medication injury, bile-duct disease, or liver disease from GGT.^[1,2]

What it affects

• It connects enzyme patterns, bile flow, alcohol or medication context, and liver injury context.^[1,2]
• It is often read with other liver tests, not alone.^[1,2]

Interpretation traps

• GGT is not specific by itself.^[1,2]
• BioConst does not diagnose liver disease or alcohol-related disease from GGT.^[1,2]