AST, or aspartate aminotransferase, is 1 of the 2 “liver enzymes.” It is also known as serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, or SGOT. AST is a protein made by liver cells. When liver cells are damaged, AST leaks out into the bloodstream and the level of AST in the blood becomes higher than normal.
A SGOT test may be used to help your doctor diagnose liver damage or liver disease. When liver cells are damaged, SGOT leaks into the blood stream, raising your blood’s level of this enzyme.
A high AST level often means there is some liver damage, but it is not necessarily caused by hepatitis C. A high AST with a normal ALT may mean that the AST is coming from a different part of the body. The normal range of values for AST (SGOT) is about 5 to 40 units per liter of serum (the liquid part of the blood).
