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Short Summary
Main recommendation: If ALT is elevated, even slightly, it should be investigated with a good doctor rather than dismissed, because the video frames ALT as something that should be normal and that can be reversed once the cause is found. The speaker lists seven common causes plus a bonus cause, and says several of them can be addressed at home or with medication review.
Key Points
- ALT (alanine transaminase, formerly called SGPT) is a liver enzyme; the video cites reference ranges of under 34 for women and under 45 for men.
- The seven causes promised by the title are: (1) NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, also called metabolic associated fatty liver disease) and NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis); (2) daily NSAID use such as ibuprofen, Aleve, naproxen, or Celebrex, plus daily acetaminophen/Tylenol; (3) drinking more alcohol than your personal liver tolerates; (4) statins such as Lipitor, Zocor, or Crestor; (5) low thyroid function (subclinical, undiagnosed, or under-treated hypothyroidism); (6) congestive heart failure (CHF), including mild undiagnosed cases; (7) hepatitis A, B, or C.
- The bonus cause is choline deficiency, more likely on vegan or whole-foods plant-based diets.
- The speaker says that even a slightly elevated ALT is not acceptable to ignore.
Details Worth Noting
- Concrete instructions: Get a full investigation of the entire list with your doctor, since more than one cause may be present. If your ALT is high with no apparent cause, get a full thyroid panel. If you take NSAIDs or acetaminophen daily, the video suggests reducing or stopping them with medical guidance. If you take a statin and your ALT has doubled or tripled, the speaker suggests discussing stopping it with your doctor. If you are on a vegan or whole-foods plant-based diet with elevated ALT, consider a choline supplement or eating meat, per the speaker's suggestion. Cut back alcohol if it may be contributing. Have your liver evaluated for hepatitis if other causes are not apparent.
- According to Dr. Berry, NAFLD and NASH are usually largely reversible, and he says NAFLD comes from metabolic abnormalities caused by a high-carbohydrate diet.
- The speaker describes the right relationship with a doctor as a "learned health partner" and suggests going through the full list together.
- Some causes, like hepatitis and heart failure, need specialist-level evaluation rather than home changes.
- Dr. Berry presents this as his own perspective and repeatedly advises discussing these issues with your doctor; it is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
Bottom Line
An elevated ALT is a signal to investigate, not to wait out, and the most common causes range from fatty liver and medication effects to thyroid, heart, and viral issues.
