Alkaline phosphatase is an enzyme that occurs naturally in your liver, digestive system, kidneys, and bones. In most cases, higher than normal alkaline phosphatase levels are temporary and harmless, although some may be a symptom of a serious illness, such as liver damage, liver disorders, bone disease, or bilirubin blockage. In general, children and adolescents have higher levels of alkaline phosphatase than adults. To lower it, try a combination of the following three methods: taking drugs, changing diet, and changing lifestyle. Make sure you also consult an expert doctor to find the most appropriate method!
Step
Method 1 of 3: Controlling Health Disorders and Medication Consumption Patterns
Step 1. Control any health problems or illnesses that may increase your alkaline phosphatase levels
In some cases, high levels of alkaline phosphatase are a symptom of health problems such as vitamin D deficiency and bone disease. Therefore, you need to first treat the underlying disorder to lower alkaline phosphatase levels in the body.
If your high alkaline phosphatase level is due to liver disease, your doctor will likely prescribe medication to treat the disease. Supposedly, your alkaline phosphatase level should return to normal once the disease is cured
Step 2. Find drugs that risk making your alkaline phosphatase levels spike
In fact, certain types of drugs prescribed by doctors have the potential to increase your alkaline phosphatase. Therefore, your doctor will most likely ask you to stop taking it for a certain period of time (for example, a whole week), and have a blood test again after that. If your alkaline phosphatase level doesn't drop, it may be time to stop other medications for a week to see how they affect alkaline phosphatase levels in the body. Some types of drugs that can increase alkaline phosphatase levels are:
- Birth control pills and hormone medications.
- Antidepressant and anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Various types of steroids and narcotics.
Step 3. Stop or change the medication you are currently taking, if necessary
In some cases, patients cannot completely stop taking certain medications. If that's your situation, try asking for recommendations for replacement medications that are still effective but don't have the potential to affect your alkaline phosphatase levels. Be careful, stopping the drug suddenly can have negative side effects. Therefore, try to slowly reduce the dose of drugs that can increase your alkaline phosphatase level.
- If the antidepressant you are taking has been shown to increase alkaline phosphatase in the body, try asking your doctor to prescribe a safer type of antidepressant.
- On the other hand, your doctor may ask you to stop taking steroids and narcotics. If these medications are being taken to relieve pain, try asking for a replacement medication option that won't affect your alkaline phosphatase level.
- Temporary and permanent discontinuation of the drug should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor.
Method 2 of 3: Changing Diet and Lifestyle
Step 1. Avoid foods rich in zinc
Zinc is one of the components of alkaline phosphatase so it should be avoided by people who want to lower their alkaline phosphatase levels. To find out the levels of zinc contained in each food product, try reading the nutritional information listed on the packaging. Some types of foods that are high in zinc are:
- Goat and lamb.
- Beef and pumpkin seeds.
- Oysters and spinach.
- Adult women should not take more than 8 mg of zinc per day. Meanwhile, adult men should not consume more than 11 mg of zinc per day.
Step 2. Eat foods high in copper
Copper is a very important substance for controlling enzyme levels in the body and has been shown to reduce alkaline phosphatase levels. Some types of foods that are rich in copper are:
- Sunflower and almond seeds.
- Lentils and asparagus.
- Dried apricots and dark chocolate.
- Adults over the age of 19 should not consume more than 10 mg of copper per day.
Step 3. Eat foods that control your enzyme levels
In fact, there are several types of foods that can control alkaline phosphatase levels in your body. Try asking your doctor for recommendations on what foods you should eat or avoid. Some types of foods that are able to return alkaline phosphatase levels to their normal levels while also contain low alkaline phosphatase are:
- Eggs and milk and processed products such as cheese and yogurt.
- Fish such as herring, tuna, and mackerel.
- Alfalfa and mushrooms.
Step 4. Increase sun exposure to your skin
Since vitamin D deficiency is one of the most common causes of high alkaline phosphatase levels, your doctor will likely ask you to increase your vitamin D levels. The easiest way you can do is bask in direct sunlight to encourage the skin to produce vitamin D naturally. Therefore, from now on, try to spend at least 20 minutes outdoors in the morning and/or afternoon to lower your alkaline phosphatase levels.
- For example, you can use this time to swim, sunbathe in your yard, or take a walk around the complex during the day wearing a short-sleeved shirt.
- Always put on sun cream before sunbathing! Don't worry, sunscreen cream will not inhibit the production of vitamin D in your skin.
- If you live in an area that doesn't get a lot of sunlight (or in an area that is experiencing winter or rainy season), your doctor will most likely prescribe you a daily vitamin D capsule.
Step 5. Exercise regularly
One of the keys to building a healthy lifestyle is exercising regularly. This method must be applied to prevent the emergence of various diseases that can contribute to high levels of alkaline phosphatase in the body.
- Start by walking or jogging for 30 minutes every day. If possible, there's no harm in trying to join the nearest gym or yoga class!
- Some examples of health problems that can be eliminated by regular exercise are fatty liver and conditions related to liver swelling and blockage of bilirubin.
Step 6. Adjust the exercise you do with your physical abilities
For most patients, high alkaline phosphatase levels are caused by serious illnesses such as diabetes, bone or liver disorders, and hypertension so they should not exercise too hard. Therefore, always adjust the type of sport you choose to your physical abilities.
- To find out the right type of exercise, consult a doctor. Doctors can also determine whether your health is good enough to do certain types of exercise.
- In some cases, the doctor will refer the patient to a physical therapist.
Method 3 of 3: Obtaining a Medical Diagnosis and Understanding Contributing Factors
Step 1. Consult a doctor for bone disorders
Most of the factors contributing to high levels of alkaline phosphatase are bone disorders. Generally, the symptoms you will experience are the appearance of prolonged pain in the bone or the presence of several fractures. Some types of bone disorders that can cause your alkaline phosphatase levels to be high are:
- Osteomalacia: a medical disorder that causes bones to soften and become brittle.
- Renal osteodystrophy: kidney complications that result in mineral disturbances in the bones.
- Malignant bone tumor.
Step 2. Have a blood test to measure liver enzyme levels
In a blood test, the doctor will generally use a syringe to take a blood sample from your arm. After that, a blood sample sent to the laboratory is used to measure enzyme levels in the liver. The measurement results are what detect high or not alkaline phosphatase levels in your body.
- Consult the things you should do before doing a liver function test. Most likely, your doctor will ask you to avoid certain foods and medications. Generally, blood test results will come out within a few days to a week.
- Some of the physical symptoms that indicate the need for a liver examination are severe pain in the lower abdomen, dark urine, blood in the stool, persistent nausea or vomiting, and yellowish skin and eyes.
Step 3. Consult the doctor for possible cancer screening
If high levels of alkaline phosphatase are not associated with bone disorders or liver disease, you may have cancer. To detect the presence or absence of cancer cells in your body, doctors generally will do a blood test. In most cases, the patient is also asked to do a biopsy to detect the presence of cancer cells in his body. Some types of cancer that can increase alkaline phosphatase levels are:
- Breast cancer or colon cancer.
- Lung cancer or pancreatic cancer.
- Lymphadenoma (cancer of the blood cells) or leukemia (cancer of the spinal cord).
Tips
- Ideally, alkaline phosphatase levels in adults are in the range of 44 to 147 units per liter.
- In some cases, high levels of alkaline phosphatase are also found in growing adolescents and women who are pregnant.
