AllTheGainz
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This issue is probably pretty uncommon, not many people I know take accutane and probably none will ever have to deal with what I went through but I figured it would be good for the general public to know and learn about.
I've been on accutane for 5 months now (6 in total), finally finishing it up. Because accutane is so hard on the body and the liver monthly liver enzyme blood tests are done.
So cool, they draw blood everything is good and you get your next months dose. The problem is that they fail to tell you one very very important fact. Your AST and ALT levels are affected by how hard you train and when you train. And I have proof of this in the form of blood work.
NormalAST: 10-40
Normal ALT: 7-56
Month 1:
AST: 18
ALT: 23
Month 2:
AST: 21
ALT:26
Month 3:
AST: 15
ALT: 13
Month 4:
AST: 553. (WOAH! Explanation below)
ALT: 389. (WOAH! Explanation below)
Month 4 Retest after 2 weeks:
AST: 364. (WHAA?)
ALT: 182. (WHAA?)
Month 5: Had to take the month off.
Month 6:
AST: 18
ALT: 10
Final test: coming soon.
Explanation. AST and ALT are heavily influenced and directly correlated with the amount of working out done before the test and DOMS or delayed onset muscle soreness. But why? How? Those were my questions as well.
Aspartate aminotransferase aka AST is An enzyme used to detect liver damage in conjunction with ALT another enzyme. The two in conjunction are supposed to show signs of liver damage if both elevated, however they can be influenced rapidly and easily. Both enzymes are found in muscle tissue and when you work out you break down muscle tissue. The more tissue you break down the more enzymes are released into your blood stream. So why was mine so high for both month 4 tests? Simple. The doctors failed to tell me I couldn't workout before a liver panel test, so for the first month 4 test I did a FBW the day before because I knew I'd have to take the blood draw day off from the gym due to travel time. The second test I worked out earlier that week, on a Tuesday and the test was Friday. Body still hadn't repaired all the damage in my muscle which was evident because of the severe DOMS I had on test day.
Just goes to show that doctors don't know everything, especially dermatologists looking at blood work.
I've been on accutane for 5 months now (6 in total), finally finishing it up. Because accutane is so hard on the body and the liver monthly liver enzyme blood tests are done.
So cool, they draw blood everything is good and you get your next months dose. The problem is that they fail to tell you one very very important fact. Your AST and ALT levels are affected by how hard you train and when you train. And I have proof of this in the form of blood work.
NormalAST: 10-40
Normal ALT: 7-56
Month 1:
AST: 18
ALT: 23
Month 2:
AST: 21
ALT:26
Month 3:
AST: 15
ALT: 13
Month 4:
AST: 553. (WOAH! Explanation below)
ALT: 389. (WOAH! Explanation below)
Month 4 Retest after 2 weeks:
AST: 364. (WHAA?)
ALT: 182. (WHAA?)
Month 5: Had to take the month off.
Month 6:
AST: 18
ALT: 10
Final test: coming soon.
Explanation. AST and ALT are heavily influenced and directly correlated with the amount of working out done before the test and DOMS or delayed onset muscle soreness. But why? How? Those were my questions as well.
Aspartate aminotransferase aka AST is An enzyme used to detect liver damage in conjunction with ALT another enzyme. The two in conjunction are supposed to show signs of liver damage if both elevated, however they can be influenced rapidly and easily. Both enzymes are found in muscle tissue and when you work out you break down muscle tissue. The more tissue you break down the more enzymes are released into your blood stream. So why was mine so high for both month 4 tests? Simple. The doctors failed to tell me I couldn't workout before a liver panel test, so for the first month 4 test I did a FBW the day before because I knew I'd have to take the blood draw day off from the gym due to travel time. The second test I worked out earlier that week, on a Tuesday and the test was Friday. Body still hadn't repaired all the damage in my muscle which was evident because of the severe DOMS I had on test day.
Just goes to show that doctors don't know everything, especially dermatologists looking at blood work.