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Tareq Abadl: Has Anyone Here Ever Taken an ALP Test Before?
Tareq Abadl/LinkedIn
Mar 15, 2026, 13:45

Tareq Abadl: Has Anyone Here Ever Taken an ALP Test Before?

Tareq Abadl, Medical Laboratory Specialist and Director of the Blood Bank at Dr. Abdelkader Al-Mutawakkil Hospital, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Has anyone here ever done an ALP (Alkaline Phosphatase) test before?

This enzyme is measured in the blood and is mainly found in:

  • Liver
  • Bones
  • Intestines
  • Placenta during pregnancy

The normal range isn’t a single fixed number, it varies depending on:

Age: Children usually have higher levels because of bone growth.
Gender: Slight differences between men and women.
Pregnancy: Levels can be higher due to the placenta.

Labs also set ranges depending on the devices and methods used.

Practical steps of the test in the lab:

  1. Sample collection: Venous blood (Serum or Plasma).
  2. Preparation: The sample must be free of hemolysis to avoid false results.
  3. Storage: If not analyzed immediately, keep at 2–8°C.
  4. Measurement: Automated chemistry analyzers measure enzyme activity at alkaline pH.
  5. Result: A number compared to the reference range for age and gender.
  6. Interpretation: The number alone isn’t enough; it must be compared with other tests like LFTs or Bone profile.

High ALP may indicate:

  • Blocked bile ducts or liver diseases like hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver tumors.
  • Bone diseases like osteomalacia, fractures, bone tumors, or Paget’s disease.
  • Normal in children during growth or after bone healing.
  • Can rise with certain medications (e.g., anti-epileptics, contraceptives).
  • May increase in pregnancy due to the placenta.

Low ALP may be linked to:

  • Malnutrition or deficiency of zinc and magnesium.
  • Genetic hypophosphatasia.
  • Severe anemia or thyroid problems.
  • Sometimes after blood transfusion or in rare conditions.

Examples for practical interpretation:

  • Patient with high ALP plus jaundice/itching – think liver.
  • Patient with bone pain or repeated fractures – think bones.
  • Child – often normal due to growth.
  • Pregnant woman – may be normal due to placenta.
  • If unclear – order extra tests like GGT, Calcium, Vitamin D.”

Tareq Abadl

More posts featuring Tareq Abadl on Hemostasis Today.

Alkaline Phosphatase ALP Health Hematology Hemostasis Hemostasis News Hemostasis Today Medicine Tareq Abadl
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