--- source_url: https://hangovr180.com/science/claims/ast-alt-liver-enzymes.md canonical_url: https://hangovr180.com/science/claims/ast-alt-liver-enzymes generated_at: 2026-06-28T19:53:17Z build_id: ebfcfef page_type: science-leaf claim_ids: [SF-21, SF-20, SF-02] --- # AST AND ALT LIVER ENZYMES *AST and ALT are clinical serum markers that rise when liver cells are under stress, and the H180 claim about these markers is bounded specifically to values already in the normal range to keep the structure-function language DSHEA-compliant.* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. ## What AST and ALT Are Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) are enzymes that catalyze the transfer of amino groups between amino acids and alpha-keto acids in cellular metabolism. They sit normally inside hepatocytes (liver cells) and other tissues. When a liver cell is damaged or stressed enough to leak its cellular contents, AST and ALT escape into the bloodstream where they can be measured in routine blood work. Serum AST and ALT levels are the standard clinical markers of hepatocellular stress. Normal range is typically 7-55 IU/L for ALT and 8-48 IU/L for AST in adults, though reference ranges vary slightly by lab. Elevations above the normal range indicate something is stressing or damaging liver cells -- alcohol exposure, viral hepatitis, fatty liver, drug toxicity, and other conditions can all push the markers up. ## Why DHM Moves These Markers in Animal Studies > **Claim [SF-21]:** Acts by promoting aldehyde and alcohol metabolism of foods. † > > † These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. In animal models of ethanol exposure, DHM administration moves AST and ALT toward normal compared to ethanol-only controls. The 2020 Silva paper specifically tracked DHM's effects on liver enzyme markers in chronic-ethanol-fed mice and reported that DHM reduced ethanol-induced elevations in AST and ALT[1]. A 2023 study on DHM and ethanol-induced lipid accumulation reported similar improvements in liver injury markers along with reductions in proinflammatory cytokines[2]. The AST/ALT improvement is documented across multiple animal studies of ethanol exposure, in the published rodent data at least. The mechanism is indirect. Faster acetaldehyde clearance via DHM's ADH/ALDH induction means less collateral cellular damage means lower AST/ALT release into serum. The ROS reduction story (less oxidative damage to cell membranes, less leakage) reinforces the same direction. ## Why the Claim Is Bounded to "Already in the Normal Range" > **Claim [SF-20]:** Lowers liver enzyme (AST and ALT) levels that are already in the normal range. † > > † These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The "already in the normal range" qualifier on the claim is doing important regulatory work. Under DSHEA, a structure-function claim cannot describe diagnosis, treatment, mitigation, or prevention of disease. AST and ALT elevations above the normal range are a clinical marker that gets used in disease diagnosis and monitoring (alcoholic hepatitis, NAFLD, viral hepatitis, drug-induced liver injury, etc.). A claim that the formula reduces elevated AST/ALT could be construed as a disease-treatment claim, which would not be DSHEA-compliant for a dietary supplement. The "already in the normal range" qualifier limits the claim to the structure-function range that DSHEA permits -- supporting the maintenance of values that are already healthy, rather than treating values that are pathological. (this is the claim where the regulatory phrasing matters most carefully, because saying anything broader would cross into disease-treatment territory under DSHEA.) ## What "Maintains AST/ALT in the Normal Range" Means in Practice > **Claim [SF-02]:** Supports overall liver health. † > > † These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. For someone whose AST and ALT values are already within normal range and who drinks moderately, the formula's mechanism of action (faster acetaldehyde clearance, restored glutathione, reduced inflammatory cytokine release) supports keeping those values within normal range across drinking episodes. The claim is about preserving baseline rather than reversing pathology, and the published animal mechanism literature supports that interpretation. ## What This Page Is Not Claiming The AST/ALT claim is bounded ot the normal range explicitly, adn that boundary is intentional. We are not claiming H180 treats elevated liver enzymes, reverses alcoholic liver disease, or substitutes for medical care for any liver condition. Anyone with persistently elevated liver enzymes should be working with a clinician, not relying on a dietary supplement. For the headline aldehyde-metabolism claim that the AST/ALT effect ties to mechanistically, see [Aldehyde Metabolism Explained](/science/claims/aldehyde-metabolism). For the broader liver-detoxification claim mapping, see [The Liver Detoxification Claim](/science/claims/liver-detoxification). ## Citations 1. [Dihydromyricetin Protects the Liver via Changes in Lipid Metabolism and Enhanced Ethanol Metabolism](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7211127/). PMC7211127. 2. [Dihydromyricetin Supplementation Improves Ethanol-Induced Lipid Accumulation and Inflammation](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10481966/). PMC10481966. ## Read Next - [Aldehyde Metabolism Explained](/science/claims/aldehyde-metabolism) - [The Liver Detoxification Claim](/science/claims/liver-detoxification) - [How DHM Works -- The ADH/ALDH Pathway](/science/dhm/adh-aldh-pathway) - [The Claims -- The Hub](/science/claims) **Written by Mark Scott** - Co-Formulator, Hangovr180® | Co-Inventor, [US Application 18/698,010](https://patents.google.com/patent/US20250073201A1) Mark Scott conducted approximately 150 personal formulation tests over six months to develop the H180 ingredient combination. [Editorial standards](/editorial-standards) --- These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Hangovr180® is a dietary supplement. Individual results may vary. Consult your healthcare provider before use if you have any medical conditions or take medications. [US Application 18/698,010](https://patents.google.com/patent/US20250073201A1). Canonical: https://hangovr180.com/science/claims/ast-alt-liver-enzymes