An alkaline phosphatase (ALP) test measures the amount of ALP in your blood. ALP is an enzyme, a protein that speeds up certain chemical reactions in your body. ALP is found in all your body tissues, but higher amounts can be found in your liver, bile ducts, and bones. Each part of your body makes a different type of ALP.
An alkaline phosphatase test is often used to screen for or help diagnose diseases of the liver or bones. The test may also help diagnose or monitor other health conditions.
Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
Normal range
- Female · ≤ 2 y
- 28–187 ug/L
- Female · 10 y – 13 y
- 19–177 ug/L
- Female · 14 y – 17 y
- 7–41 ug/L
- Female · 2 y – 9 y
- 31–152 ug/L
- Male · ≤ 2 y
- 25–221 ug/L
- Male · 10 y – 13 y
- 35–169 ug/L
- Male · 14 y – 17 y
- 13–111 ug/L
- Male · 2 y – 9 y
- 27–148 ug/L
Ranges from Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Pediatric Test Catalog).
All 11 source ranges
What an abnormal result can be associated with
- A high result
- Elevated alkaline phosphatase of bone origin
- A low result
- Low alkaline phosphatase of bone origin
Associations from LOINC2HPO (Human Phenotype Ontology). This is reference information, not a diagnosis — only a clinician can interpret your result in context.
Details
- Sample
- Serum or plasma · LOINC
- Listed under
- Bile Duct Cancer · Bile Duct Diseases · Bone Diseases · Paget's Disease of Bone
- Code
- LOINC 1777-2 · ug/L
- Also known as
- Phos, B-ALP, ALP-2, AP, ALP Bone