Alkaline Phosphatase

Abbreviation: ALP

Panel: Liver Function Tests · All liver function tests

Typical adult reference range

Conventional units40–130 U/L
SI units40–130 U/L

Ranges vary between laboratories and methods — compare your result with the range printed on your own report.

What a high or low result can mean

High alkaline phosphatase: high values can be seen in bile duct obstruction, liver disease, and bone disorders.

Low alkaline phosphatase: low values are uncommon and may occur with malnutrition or certain deficiencies.

These are associations, not a diagnosis: the same result can have several causes, and your clinician interprets it with the rest of your results and history.

Good to know

Also produced by bone, placenta, and intestine.

Please note: Reference ranges vary between laboratories, and between the methods and instruments they use — the range printed on your own report is the one your result should be compared with. A result outside the range is not by itself a diagnosis, and a result inside it does not rule out illness. These pages are an educational summary, not medical advice: always discuss your results with the clinician who ordered them, who can interpret them in the context of your health and history.