a couple of health-related questions

Discussion in 'Fitness, Health & Nutrition' started by SmokeSomeTree, Dec 16, 2014.

  1. #1 SmokeSomeTree, Dec 16, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 16, 2014
    Hello! 
    I'm not entirely sure if this is the right section for this topic, but anyways, here we go. (Admins, feel free to move this topic to the right section if necessary. :) )
    So, *swim* has been a toker on and off for the past few years. Not a heavy toker, but neither an occasional one, more like moderate. Oh, and he's also smoking cigarettes for about 6-7 years.
    A while ago *swim*'s doctor sent him for a full blood workup. The results came back today, and showed pretty elevated AST and ALT levels, meaning that something's not quite right with *swim*'s liver. He's doctor is sending him for blood tests again, this time looking for all kinds of hepatitis, a number of liver enzyme tests, and another blood workup just to be sure.
    So, the two questions i have are -
    1) Could the elevated AST and ALT levels be caused by *swim*'s marijuana habit?
    2) What's the probability of them finding traces of marijuana in *swim*'s blood if the last time he got high was yesterday evening and he's going for the tests tomorrow morning?
     
    Thanks. :)

     
  2. swim can relax, because it's a stoner forum everyone knows who swim is.
     
    so no your liver enzymes should not be elevated because of smoking:
    http://www.theweedblog.com/new-study-marijuana-may-protect-liver-from-alcohol-related-damage/
     
    do you drink? because that will definitely cause elevated liver enzymes. 
     
    there was one half-assed study done a while back that showed elevated enzymes in people who drank and smoked. (surprise).
    and one was done on hepatitis c patients and showed no relation between smoking and further liver damage. 
     
  3. #3 SmokeSomeTree, Dec 16, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 16, 2014
    Oh you got me lol  :D
     
    Well yeah, I'm having the occasional drink sometimes, like a few beers with some friends, sometimes a sip of whiskey after a long day, but that's about it. And I didn't consume any alcohol at all for about a week and a half before the blood test. 
     
    What about the upcoming tests, the doctor told me to get them done ASAP, but I'm kinda worried that they'll find traces of mary, that's why I didn't do the tests today. Also, can marijuana screw with the results?  :huh:
     
  4. not with liver enzymes tests.
     
    they cannot find mj unless they specifically look for it. which is a separate and rather expensive test.
     
    secondly even if the doctor was to find some mj traces in your blood, what's next? he'll probably tell you not to smoke. 
    unless you are on probation and there is a need for them to look for mj, that would be a different story. otherwise take your tests and relax. have the doctor figure out why the test results are like that. 
     
    again, according to any known medical studies mj does not cause elevated liver enzyme levels.
     
    there's only study that hints at that:
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15448809
     
    (but look at their sample group, 123 alcoholics and crackheads.. so i'll take those results with a pound of salt.. or safely ignore them)
     

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