At a Glance
Profile: Liver Function Test (LFT). Tests: 12 parameters. Price: From 390. Fasting: Not required. Sample: Serum. Reports: 24 hours, digital. Home collection: Available across Gurgaon. Lab: NABL-accredited. The Liver Function Test (LFT) is the panel a doctor orders when a liver enzyme has come back raised on a routine report, when you are taking a medicine cleared by the liver, or when there is yellowing of the eyes, dark urine or discomfort under the right ribs. It needs no overnight fast, so it fits a lunch break, an evening after work or a weekend morning without changing what you eat. ## What the 12 Parameters Tell a Doctor Bilirubin Total, Bilirubin Direct and Bilirubin Indirect are reported together because the split matters. Raised indirect bilirubin points towards excess red cell breakdown or a sluggish liver handling step, as in Gilbert syndrome. Raised direct bilirubin points towards blocked bile flow or liver cell injury. Aspartate Aminotransferase (SGOT) and Alanine Transaminase (ALT/SGPT) are enzymes that leak into the blood when liver cells are damaged. ALT is the more liver-specific of the two; SGOT is also present in muscle and heart. SGOT/SGPT Ratio is calculated for you, and its pattern gives a doctor a clue to the cause. Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) and Gamma Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) lean towards the bile ducts, and GGT is also sensitive to alcohol and some medicines. Protein Total, Albumin, Globulin and Albumin / Globulin Ratio show how well the liver is manufacturing protein. Albumin falls slowly in long-standing liver disease, so a low value is a sign of a process that has been running a while. ## The Office-Day Fatty Liver Question Fatty liver is common: an estimated 30–40% of urban Indian adults have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (Duseja A, et al., Indian Journal of Gastroenterology, 2022). Long, seated days in an air-conditioned Gurgaon office, a short walk between desk and car and late dinners are the usual background. The important limit is that fatty liver often produces normal or only mildly raised enzymes. A normal LFT therefore does not exclude it, and an ultrasound is what shows fat in the liver. A raised ALT with a normal ultrasound, or the reverse, is a conversation to have with your doctor rather than a verdict. ## Medicines, Supplements and Timing Several common medicines can raise liver enzymes, including some painkillers taken in high doses, certain antibiotics, anti-tuberculosis drugs and cholesterol-lowering tablets. Herbal products and gym supplements can do the same. Continue prescribed medicine unless your doctor says otherwise, and tell the phlebotomist what you take. Hard exercise in the previous day can lift SGOT modestly because it also comes from muscle, so a heavy gym session the evening before is worth mentioning. ## What Happens After a Raised Result A mildly raised ALT or SGOT is common and is often repeated after a few weeks before anything else is done. Doctors usually look at the pattern: enzymes high with normal bilirubin, bilirubin high with normal enzymes, or ALP and GGT high together. Each points to a different next step, which may be a repeat test, an ultrasound, a hepatitis test or a medicine review. The report flags values outside the reference range, and the interpretation belongs with a doctor who knows your history. ## Booking Along With Other Panels Liver Function Test (LFT) is included in every full body package, starting with the Basic Full Body Checkup (77 parameters), alongside the Kidney Function Test (KFT), Lipid Profile and Complete Blood Count (CBC) + ESR. If you need two or three of those panels, a package costs less than separate bookings. The trade-off is that packages contain a Lipid Profile and fasting glucose, which need a 10-hour fast, whereas this profile does not. ## What Is Not Included No Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C test, no Hepatitis A or E test, no prothrombin time (PT/INR), no alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), no ultrasound or elastography, no Lipid Profile, no HbA1c or glucose, and no iron or ferritin. Hepatitis serology is a separate order, and imaging is needed to assess fat, scarring or gallstones. A normal LFT does not rule out early cirrhosis or fatty liver. ## Sources Duseja A, et al. Indian Journal of Gastroenterology, 2022 Content last reviewed: October 2026
