HomeAnswersDiabetologyserum alkaline phosphatase levelsWhy am I having an increase in alkaline phosphatase level?

Can stress, weight loss or dehydration cause an increase in alkaline phosphatase level?

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Can stress, weight loss or dehydration cause an increase in alkaline phosphatase level?

The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

Answered by

Dr. Bindiya Thakkar

Medically reviewed by

Dr. K. Shobana

Published At March 23, 2019
Reviewed AtAugust 28, 2023

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

I am a 36-year-old male with a height of 6 feet and 1 inch and I weigh 265 lbs. I have a question about total bilirubin. I had it checked four weeks back and it was at 0.41 mg/dL and one month later it jumped to 0.82 mg/dL. My alkaline phosphatase is at 1.173 U/L and four weeks back, it was at 1.003 U/L. The doctor was not concerned by this but the highest I have seen was three years back when it was at 0.53 mg/dL of total bilirubin.

However, during the last month, I went from 282 pounds to 265 pounds. I have been extremely stressed about this. My health problems and my anxiety levels are high. I barely slept the night before the tests, and I am possibly dehydrated. Could these factors have contributed to the increase in the levels? I am concerned about bile duct obstruction. Please help.

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern.

Since this question was posted under diabetology, I wonder if you have any endocrine issues. The question asked here is about gastroenterology. The liver tests would be concerning for a liver process like gallstone if the enzymes are not coming back down or if you have pain in your right abdomen. Do you have any fever? Dehydration can sometimes cause the numbers to get slightly elevated. It is important to have a follow-up with your GP. You can also share the query with a gastroenterologist on icliniq.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

Thank you for the reply.

I was dehydrated at that time. I am concerned about alkaline phosphate levels and the possibility of it being linked with bile duct obstruction. So, do you think that other factors like stress, weight loss, and dehydration would cause the total bilirubin levels to go up by this much? My GP said that it is not a cause for concern since the numbers are not that high.

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

Glad to have you back.

The numbers are not high. Having said that, you do need to follow up to make sure that they will not continue to rise. The only way to tell how your gallstones are doing is by carrying out some sort of imaging that would act as an indicator with a further rise in the values of the liver tests. The numbers can fluctuate within a certain range due to dehydration, illnesses, etc.

I hope you got the answers to all the queries that you had.

Thank you.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Bindiya Thakkar

Dr. Bindiya Thakkar

Endocrinology

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