--- title: "GGT Liver-Health Test — Evidence, Benefits & Where to Buy | Magellan" description: "GGT Liver-Health Test — Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is a cell-surface enzyme found mainly in the liver that initiates the extracellular breakdown of…" url: "https://magellanlongevity.com/p/156.md" canonical: "https://magellanlongevity.com/p/156.html" html: "https://magellanlongevity.com/p/156.html" type: "product" section: "Diagnostics & Epigenetic Tests" evidence_grade: "Measurement tool" evidence_tier: "tool" citations: 22 product_id: 156 price_usd: 40 updated: 2026-09-02 author: "Gabriel Radu, DO" author_credentials: "Physiatrist (PM&R). NY medical license 275110. NPI 1376861765." publisher: "Magellan Longevity" content_format: "markdown" license: "Educational content — not medical advice" --- # GGT Liver-Health Test [Home](https://magellanlongevity.com/) › [Diagnostics & Epigenetic Tests](https://magellanlongevity.com/c/2.md) › GGT Liver-Health Test **HTML version:** https://magellanlongevity.com/p/156.html · **In the Magellan app:** https://magellanlongevity.com/#/product/156 ## Key facts | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Product | GGT Liver-Health Test | | Category | [Diagnostics & Epigenetic Tests](https://magellanlongevity.com/c/2.md) | | Evidence grade | Measurement tool (B) | | Peer-reviewed citations | 22 | | Typical listed price | $40.00 (check the live price) | | Where to buy | [Search Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=GGT%20Liver-Health%20Test&tag=magellanlong-20) | | Catalog ID | 156 | ## What it is Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is a cell-surface enzyme found mainly in the liver that initiates the extracellular breakdown of glutathione, the body's principal intracellular antioxidant, salvaging its constituent amino acids for renewed glutathione synthesis. Serum GGT has long been used clinically as a marker of liver and bile-duct disease and of alcohol intake. Because GGT activity is tightly linked to glutathione turnover and, in the presence of iron, can itself promote the generation of reactive oxygen species, circulating GGT even within the reference range is increasingly regarded as an early, sensitive marker of oxidative stress. A GGT blood test measures the level of this enzyme in the blood. ## Its role in longevity Large prospective cohorts and meta-analyses consistently link higher serum GGT, even within the reference range, to increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, incident hypertension, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and fatty liver, and some cancers, associations frequently interpreted through GGT's connection to oxidative stress. In UK Biobank data, people with high-normal GGT had a roughly threefold higher rate of liver-related death, and greater visit-to-visit GGT variability itself predicts mortality, heart attack and stroke. However, the evidence is observational: adding GGT to established risk models improves prediction only marginally, and a Mendelian-randomization study found no causal effect of GGT on diabetes, indicating much of the association may reflect confounding or reverse causation. GGT is nonspecific and is strongly influenced by alcohol, medications, adiposity and liver disease, so it cannot diagnose any single condition on its own and is best read alongside ALT, AST and ALP. This evidence describes the GGT biomarker and its physiology in human health and aging, not this specific commercial test product. ## Evidence grade: Measurement tool - **What the grade means:** Graded as an instrument: how accurately it measures, and whether measuring it changes anything. - **Dose used in studies:** Not a tracking test. Reasonable once if you have a concrete reason - regular alcohol intake you want an objective read on, a medication known to affect the liver, or a metabolic picture you are already working on. Interpreting it in isolation is the mistake. - **What this grade does not say:** GGT is a real risk marker, not a curiosity - pooled across 19 cohorts and more than 9 million people, those in the top third had roughly 1.6 times the all-cause mortality of the bottom third. It is also about as non-specific as a blood test gets - it rises with alcohol, with a long list of ordinary medications, with metabolic and fatty liver disease, and with obesity, and it does not tell you which of those it is - head-to-head work shows that direct markers such as phosphatidylethanol outperform indirect markers like GGT for identifying alcohol-related liver injury. That is the whole difficulty with buying it alone: a raised GGT gives you a question rather than an answer, and the next step is a full liver panel and a conversation with a clinician who knows what you drink and what you take. If you already know the answer to those questions, the test is unlikely to change what you do. ## In the news - **Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) Blood Test** — Cleveland Clinic 2024 [Read it](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/22055-gamma-glutamyl-transferase-ggt-test) > High levels of GGT can indicate a number of health conditions that affect your liver, your heart or other organs. - **Gamma-glutamyl Transferase (GGT) Test** — MedlinePlus (NIH) 2024 [Read it](https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/gamma-glutamyl-transferase-ggt-test/) > If your liver or bile duct is damaged, GGT may leak into your bloodstream. So high levels of GGT in your blood may be a sign of liver disease or damage to the bile ducts. - **What Is a GGT Test?** — WebMD 2025 [Read it](https://www.webmd.com/fatty-liver-disease/ggt-test) > GGT is a common enzyme found in the liver and other organs. A GGT test is often part of a panel of tests that can also include alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) tests. Elevated GGT levels could be a sign of liver disease or damage. ## The research Peer-reviewed studies on the active compound. Quotes are verbatim from the cited abstract. Research describes the active mechanism and is not a claim about this specific product. ### Cited studies 1. **Evidence: Gamma-glutamyl transferase** Sci Rep 2023 · [PMID 36720971](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36720971/) · [DOI 10.1038/s41598-022-25970-0](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-25970-0) > serum GGT may be useful for risk assessment of all-cause and disease-specific mortality 2. **Can Serum Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase Predict All-Cause Mortality in Hypertensive Patients?** Cureus 2024 · [PMID 39347158](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39347158/) · [DOI 10.7759/cureus.68247](https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.68247) > GGT activity turns out to be a critical biomarker for predicting long-term survival 3. **Gamma-glutamyltransferase predicts increased risk of mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective observational studies.** Free Radic Res 2014 · [PMID 24684379](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24684379/) · [DOI 10.3109/10715762.2014.902055](https://doi.org/10.3109/10715762.2014.902055) > GGT, even at physiologic high levels, predicted mortality, especially cardiovascular mortality and cancer mortality. 4. **Gamma-glutamyltransferase is associated with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.** Prev Med 2013 · [PMID 23571185](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23571185/) · [DOI 10.1016/j.ypmed.2013.03.011](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2013.03.011) > The pooled RR of CV mortality for highest vs. lowest GGT quartile was 1.52 (95% CI 1.36-1.70). The pooled RR of CV mortality for per unit-log (GGT) increment was 1.76 (95% CI 1.60-1.94). 5. **Gamma-glutamyltransferase and risk of cardiovascular mortality: A dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.** PLoS One 2017 · [PMID 28231268](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28231268/) · [DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0172631](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0172631) > These findings indicate that serum GGT activity within the reference interval is positively associated with increased risk of CV mortality in a dose-response manner. 6. **Gamma-glutamyltransferase and risk of cardiovascular disease mortality in people with and without diabetes: pooling of three British Health Surveys.** J Hepatol 2012 · [PMID 22796154](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22796154/) · [DOI 10.1016/j.jhep.2012.06.034](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhep.2012.06.034) > Higher GGT levels are a risk factor for all-cause and cardiovascular disease death in people with and without diabetes. However, knowledge of GGT does not improve cardiovascular predictions beyond traditional risk factors. 7. **Association Between γ-Glutamyltransferase Level and Cardiovascular or All-Cause Mortality in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.** Angiology 2019 · [PMID 31122026](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31122026/) · [DOI 10.1177/0003319719850058](https://doi.org/10.1177/0003319719850058) > Meta-analysis showed that elevated GGT level was significantly associated with higher risk of CV mortality (RR: 2.04; 95% CI: 1.57-2.64) and all-cause mortality (RR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.27-1.74) in patients with CAD. 8. **Gamma-glutamyl transferase and the risk of all-cause and disease-specific mortality in patients with diabetes: A nationwide cohort study.** J Diabetes 2024 · [PMID 38664890](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38664890/) · [DOI 10.1111/1753-0407.13551](https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-0407.13551) > The all-cause mortality rate increased as the serum gamma-glutamyl transferase levels became higher (highest quartile vs lowest quartile: hazard ratio [HR], 1.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.55-1.59; p for trend <.001). 9. **Gamma-glutamyltransferase and risk of hypertension: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective evidence.** J Hypertens 2015 · [PMID 26485462](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26485462/) · [DOI 10.1097/HJH.0000000000000763](https://doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0000000000000763) > Baseline circulating GGT level is associated with an increased risk of hypertension in the general population, consistent with a linear dose-response relationship. 10. **Gamma-glutamyltransferase level and risk of hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis.** PLoS One 2012 · [PMID 23145005](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23145005/) · [DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0048878](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0048878) > The pooled RR of hypertension was 1.94(95%CI: 1.55-2.43; P<0.001) when comparing the risk of hypertension between the highest versus lowest category of GGT levels. 11. **Serum γ-glutamyltransferase as an independent predictor for incident type 2 diabetes in middle-aged and older adults: Findings from the KoGES over 12 years of follow-up.** Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 2020 · [PMID 32600956](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32600956/) · [DOI 10.1016/j.numecd.2020.04.027](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.numecd.2020.04.027) > HRs (95% CIs) for incident type 2 diabetes for the highest quartile versus referent lowest quartile for serum GGT levels were 2.55 (1.86-3.51) for men and 1.90 (1.40-2.58) for women after adjusting for confounding variables. 12. **Gamma-glutamyltransferase levels, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes: a Mendelian randomization study.** Int J Epidemiol 2017 · [PMID 28338987](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28338987/) · [DOI 10.1093/ije/dyx006](https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyx006) > MR analyses did not support a causal role of GGT on the risk of prediabetes or diabetes. The association of GGT with diabetes in observational studies is likely to be driven by reverse causation or confounding bias. 13. **Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase elevation is associated with metabolic syndrome, hepatic steatosis, and fibrosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A community-based cross-sectional study.** Kaohsiung J Med Sci 2021 · [PMID 34002481](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34002481/) · [DOI 10.1002/kjm2.12395](https://doi.org/10.1002/kjm2.12395) > GGT elevation is associated with MetS, hepatic steatosis, and fibrosis in patients with NAFLD. 14. **Gamma-glutamyltransferase and risk of prostate cancer: Findings from the KIHD prospective cohort study.** Int J Cancer 2016 · [PMID 27861848](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27861848/) · [DOI 10.1002/ijc.30511](https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.30511) > GGT is positively and independently associated with future risk of prostate cancer in a middle-aged Finnish male population over long-term follow-up. 15. **Gamma glutamyl transferase.** Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 2001 · [PMID 11563810](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11563810/) · [DOI 10.1080/20014091084227](https://doi.org/10.1080/20014091084227) > People with high serum GGT have higher mortality, partly because of the association between GGT and other risk factors and partly because GGT is an independent predictor of risk. 16. **Is serum gamma glutamyltransferase a marker of oxidative stress?** Free Radic Res 2004 · [PMID 15346644](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15346644/) · [DOI 10.1080/10715760410001694026](https://doi.org/10.1080/10715760410001694026) > More importantly, serum GGT level within its normal range positively predicted F2-isoprostanes, an oxidative damage product of arachidonic acid, and fibrinogen and C-reactive protein, markers of inflammation, which were measured 5 or 15 years later, in dose-response manners. 17. **What does serum γ-glutamyltransferase tell us as a cardiometabolic risk marker?** Ann Clin Biochem 2015 · [PMID 26139450](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26139450/) · [DOI 10.1177/0004563215597010](https://doi.org/10.1177/0004563215597010) > There is robust evidence that γ-glutamyltransferase even when values are within the reference interval is associated with increased cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in both sexes, in normal subjects and subjects with coronary artery disease, in the middle-aged and the elderly after adjusting for confounding factors. 18. **Serum elevated gamma glutamyltransferase levels may be a marker for oxidative stress in Alzheimer's disease.** Int Psychogeriatr 2008 · [PMID 18416873](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18416873/) · [DOI 10.1017/S1041610208006790](https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610208006790) > GGT levels were significantly higher in AD patients (p = 0.012). Linear regression analysis revealed AD was an independent correlate of elevated GGT levels. 19. **Elevated serum gamma-glutamyltransferase activity is associated with increased risk of mortality, incident type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular events, chronic kidney disease and cancer - a narrative review.** Clin Chem Lab Med 2010 · [PMID 19943812](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19943812/) · [DOI 10.1515/CCLM.2010.031](https://doi.org/10.1515/CCLM.2010.031) > In clinical practice, increased serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) activity is usually interpreted as a marker of alcohol abuse and liver dysfunction. The knowledge of the GGT's physiological functions has expanded and several important epidemiological associations have been reported. 20. **Association of gamma-glutamyltransferase levels with total mortality, liver-related and cardiovascular outcomes: A prospective cohort study in the UK Biobank.** EClinicalMedicine 2022 · [PMID 35706481](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35706481/) > In 293,667 UK Biobank participants, high-normal GGT was associated with a 3.25-fold higher rate of liver-related mortality and a 1.43-fold higher rate of cardiovascular mortality. 21. **Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase, oxidized LDL and mortality in the elderly.** Aging clinical and experimental research 2021 · [PMID 31677124](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31677124/) > In 1,038 elderly adults followed for a median of 9 years, serum GGT independently predicted all-cause mortality, with oxidized LDL amplifying the risk. 22. **γ-Glutamyltransferase Variability and the Risk of Mortality, Myocardial Infarction, and Stroke: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.** Journal of clinical medicine 2019 · [PMID 31212805](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31212805/) > In a nationwide population cohort, greater visit-to-visit GGT variability independently predicted higher risks of mortality, myocardial infarction and stroke. ## Where to buy [Search Amazon for GGT Liver-Health Test](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=GGT%20Liver-Health%20Test&tag=magellanlong-20) — affiliate search link. ## Structured data ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"ItemPage","@id":"https://magellanlongevity.com/p/156.html#page","url":"https://magellanlongevity.com/p/156.html","name":"GGT Liver-Health Test","description":"Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is a cell-surface enzyme found mainly in the liver that initiates the extracellular breakdown of glutathione, the body's…","inLanguage":"en","isPartOf":{"@type":"WebSite","name":"Magellan Longevity","url":"https://magellanlongevity.com/"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Gabriel Radu, DO","jobTitle":"Physiatrist (PM&R)","identifier":[{"@type":"PropertyValue","name":"NPI","value":"1376861765"},{"@type":"PropertyValue","name":"NY medical license","value":"275110"}]},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Magellan Longevity","url":"https://magellanlongevity.com/"},"encoding":{"@type":"MediaObject","encodingFormat":"text/markdown","contentUrl":"https://magellanlongevity.com/p/156.md"},"dateModified":"2026-09-02"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://magellanlongevity.com/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Diagnostics & Epigenetic Tests","item":"https://magellanlongevity.com/c/2.html"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"GGT Liver-Health Test","item":"https://magellanlongevity.com/p/156.html"}]},{"@type":"Product","@id":"https://magellanlongevity.com/p/156.html#product","name":"GGT Liver-Health Test","category":"Diagnostics & Epigenetic Tests","url":"https://magellanlongevity.com/p/156.html","description":"Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is a cell-surface enzyme found mainly in the liver that initiates the extracellular breakdown of glutathione, the body's principal intracellular antioxidant, salvaging its constituent amino acids for renewed glutathione synthesis. 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Nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk to your physician before starting any supplement or device, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medication. Editorial firewall: evidence grades are assigned from the published research and are independent of any affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate, Magellan Longevity earns from qualifying purchases. Reviewed for accuracy by a board-certified physician (DO).