Test Overview
An alkaline phosphatase (ALP) test measures the amount
of the
ALP in the blood. ALP is made mostly in the
and in bone with some made in the
and
. It also is made by the
of a pregnant woman.
The liver
makes more ALP than the other organs or the bones. Some conditions cause large
amounts of ALP in the blood. These conditions include rapid bone growth (during
puberty), bone disease ( or
), or a disease that affects how much
is in the blood (), vitamin D deficiency, or damaged liver cells.
If the ALP level is high, more tests may be done to find the
cause.