In the health world, there are two key liver enzymes, namely SGOT, which is Serum Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminase, and SGPT, which is Serum Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase,se and the interesting thing is that both of them play a rather pivotal role in assessing the liver function of your body.
This article will cover details on the SGOT normal range, the danger levels of SGPT and also SGOT so that you can understand when you need to rush to the doctor. Keep reading, but do keep in mind that this article is purely for knowledge purposes.
What is SGOT?
The SGOT is also known as serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, which is also called aspartate aminotransferase or simply, AST.
SGOT is an enzyme that is found in the liver, heart, kidneys, brain, and muscles. This allows cells to perform some vital metabolic reactions, and when there has been an injury or disease, these tissues release SGOT into the blood, thus causing elevated blood levels.
SGOT, along with SGPT, is most commonly used to understand liver health, but it is also involved in diagnosing heart health and muscle issues since it is distributed in other organs.
SGOT is an essential enzyme that is involved in the transfer of amino groups, which contribute to various metabolic processes, and thus it plays a vital role in the citric acid cycle. This acid cycle is known to be central to energy production within the cells.
What Causes High Levels of SGOT?
Abnormal or high SGOT levels can result from various conditions that affect the liver, the heart, or muscles. Common causes however, include:
- Liver-Related Causes: This could be in the form of hepatitis (which is viral or alcoholic), cirrhosis, fatty liver disease, liver cancer or even drug-induced liver injury.
- Heart-related causes: Issues like a myocardial infarction or a heart attack may cause high levels of SGOT in the body.
- Muscle-related causes: Injury to the muscle, dystrophy, or intense physical exercise may also cause high levels of SGOT.
- Other causes: Other issues like pancreatitis, hemolytic anemia, kidney damage, or certain medications like statins or chemotherapy drugs can also cause a high SGOT level.
Lower SGOT levels are rare in the body, but it maybe linked to vitamin B6 deficiency, pregnancy or even dialysis.
SGOT Normal Ranges in Adults and Children
Adults
The normal SGOT level range in adults typically falls between 10 to 40 units per liter (U/L), although there may be a little variation depending on the laboratory standards and testing methods. In fact, men might be prone to having a slightly higher level than women due to the differences in muscle mass. Factors like age, gender, and overall health can also influence these values.
Children
Where children are concerned, the SGOT levels vary by several factors like age due to growth, and developmental changes. Newborns and infacts often end up having higher levels because of the fact of rapid cell turnover. Children have approximate ranges in the form of:
- Newborns (0-1 month): 25 to 75 U/L
- Infants (1 month to 1 year): 15-60 U/L
- Children (1-12 years): 10-50 U/L
- Adolescents (12-18 years): 10-40 U/L
It is essential to note that these ranges are quite general, and pediatricians may interpret these results in light of the child’s overall health and the specific laboratory reference values.
SGOT Ranges: Normal, High, and Dangerous Levels in Individuals
It is important to understand the different levels of SGOT in individuals, and the following table shall briefly outline the SGOT ranges for adults and also their implications.
| SGOT Level (U/L) | Category | Description |
| 10–40 | Normal | Indicates healthy liver, heart, and muscle function. |
| 41–100 | Mildly Elevated | May suggest early liver or muscle damage, often reversible with lifestyle changes. |
| 101–200 | Moderately Elevated | Indicates significant liver, heart, or muscle injury; requires medical evaluation. |
| >200 | Dangerous | Suggests severe organ damage (e.g., acute hepatitis, heart attack); urgent care needed. |
In cases where children are concerned, the ranges do vary by age but levels exceeding 100 U/L in infants, or 80 U/L in older children, are normally considered high and do warrant further but strict investigations.
The Symptoms of High or Abnormal SGOT Levels
High or elevated SGOT levels are often known to be asymptomatic in their early stages, but they may also be present ones depending on the underlying issue, and it also depends on patient to patient. Common symptoms include:
- Liver-related symptoms: High SGOT levels in individuals bring out symptoms of jaundice, which is yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, pale stool, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and even fatigue.
- Heart-related symptoms: Elevated SGOT levels would lead to symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, and irregular heartbeat.
- Muscle-related symptoms: Symptoms like muscle weakness, pain, or even cramps might occur and show up.
- General symptoms: Sometimes, signs and symptoms like lack and loss of appetite, fever, or weight loss also indicate high SGOT levels.
On the flipside, lower SGOT levels are rarely associated with symptoms, but they may be associated with fatigue or neurological symptoms, especially if linked with a vitamin B6 deficiency.
Complications of Elevated SGOT levels and how to control them
If left untreated, high SGOT levels can lead to some serious complications that affect your health and quality of life – but this depends on the underlying conditions. Thus, complications of elevated SGOT include:
- Liver function complications: This could look like chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, or in extreme cases, liver failure.
- Heart complications: Permanent cardiac damage or in some cases, heart failure might happen, thus leading to death.
- Muscle Complications: Untreated high levels of SGOT lead to progressive muscle damage or rhabdomyolysis, which could end up harming the kidneys in the long term.
- Systemic Complications: This could look like multi-organ dysfunction in severely complicated cases.
It is thus recommended to start taking medication or treatment plans from an early stage to help reduce the serious complications so as to help treat it.
How to treat Abnormal SGOT levels
Having abnormal or elevated SGOT levels for a prolonged period is rarely a good decision. Consulting your doctor would be the first and primary step but it is important to note that some universal damage-control changes will be needed. Here are some universal ways to treat abnormal SGOT levels:
- Lifestyle Changes: It is important to adopt a balanced lifestyle with a healthy diet, reduced alcohol consumption and thus maintaining a decent weight and avoidance of hepatotoxic substances.
- Medications: Your doctor will prescribe some antiviral drugs for hepatitis if needed, statins for heart conditions or corticosteroids for autoimmune liver diseases.
- Medical Procedures: In some severe cases, doctors may prescribe medical procedures like liver transplantation or even cardiac surgery.
- Supplements: If you have low SGOT levels, then the doctor may prescribe some vitamin B6 supplements to combat the deficiency.
All these ways can help with controlling high SGOT level,s but the most important thing that you could do is regular monitoring via blood tests and consultations with healthcare professionals and your doctor.
Ho to Test your SGOT levels
SGOT levels can be easily measured, and it requires a blood test most typically, but the process is manifold. Here is a summary of the testing
Step 1: Blood Test:
A sample of your blood will be taken by a professional, and it will be usually drawn from the arm.
Step 2: Laboratory Analysis
The sample is sent to the laboratory to analyze and measure the SGOT and other enzymes like SGPT, ALP and bilirubin.
Step 3 Interpretation
Once the results are out, they are compared to the normal reference range, and the SGOT/SGPT ratio is calculated to assess any liver-specific damage. In addition to this test, you may be asked to do more tests like a CT Scan or la iver biopsy.
.
| Age Group | Normal Range (U/L) | Description | |||
| Newborns (0–1 month) | 25–75 | Higher due to rapid growth; elevated levels may indicate neonatal jaundice. | |||
| Infants (1 month–1 year) | 15–60 | Slightly lower than newborns; high levels may suggest infection or liver stress. | |||
| Children (1–12 years) | 10–50 | Stable range; elevations are often linked to viral infections or muscle injury. | |||
| Adolescents (12–18 years) | 10–40 | Similar to adults, high levels may indicate liver or heart issues. | |||
| Adults | 10–40 | Reflects healthy organ function; elevations require prompt evaluation. |
Conclusion
The SGOT, which is also called the AST, is a critical biomarker that assesses the overall health of your liver, heart, and muscles. Understanding the normal range, which is anywhere between 10-40 U/L for adults and a varying range for children, is quite important in order to detect potential health issues.
An abnormal SGOT level – irrespective of high or low- can mean that you might have an underlying issue which could ultimately lead to severe organ damage. Symptoms may range from jaundice, chest pain, to ultimate organ failure can take place, and this is why abnormal SGOT levels should be managed effectively. Always consult your doctor or healthcare professional to ensure a timely diagnosis and treatment.
Refresh Date: August 28, 2025
