Raised SGPT / SGOT
A raised SGPT on a health check is a clue, not a diagnosis. It means the liver is irritated, and the next step is finding out why.
Medically reviewed by the RIIMS medical team · Last updated: June 2026
Go to hospital now
- Yellow eyes or skin with confusion, drowsiness or a disturbed sleep pattern
- Vomiting blood, or black tarry stools
- Jaundice during pregnancy
See a doctor soon (not an emergency)
- SGPT more than five times the upper limit of normal
- A raised value that has not settled on repeat testing
- Any jaundice, even if you feel well
What does a raised SGPT or SGOT mean?
SGPT (ALT) and SGOT (AST) are enzymes that leak into the blood when liver cells are irritated or damaged. A mildly raised value is common, and on its own it says nothing about which problem caused it. In India the usual reasons are fatty liver, alcohol, certain medicines, herbal or Ayurvedic products, and viral hepatitis. SGPT sits mostly inside the liver, so it is the more specific of the two markers; SGOT also comes from muscle and can rise after hard exercise or a fall. A doctor reads the pattern between the two values, the ratio, and your history, not the number alone. Typical reference ranges are roughly 7–55 U/L for SGPT and 8–48 U/L for SGOT, but every laboratory prints its own range, so check your report against that.
Symptoms to watch for
- Often none at all
- Tiredness
- A dull ache under the right ribs
- Nausea or poor appetite
- Found by chance on a routine health check
- Dark urine, if jaundice is developing
When to consult a doctor
See a doctor soon if the value stays raised on a repeat test, or is more than five times the upper limit of normal. Yellow eyes, confusion or bleeding need same-day care.