How AST appears on your report
Look for Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST). The result is normally shown in U/L, next to the reference interval used by the laboratory that ran the test.
Note the collection date before you compare it with anything, along with the context that matters for this marker: recent hard exercise, muscle injury, alcohol, medicines and liver irritation can raise it. It is less liver-specific than ALT.
AST range in Australia
The harmonised Australian adult reference interval for AST is 5–35 U/L for men and 5–30 U/L for women. Vector tracks against an optimal range of 10–40 U/L.
Vector’s optimal range is the band the app tracks against and the one printed in the doctor report. Why the two differ. Reference interval source: AACB / RCPA Common Reference Intervals.
What to read alongside AST
A single marker rarely explains itself. These results are commonly interpreted together with AST, and Vector keeps them within reach of each other as your record grows.
Tracking AST over time
One AST result is a single point. Import the report into Vector, check the extracted value, unit and collection date, and it becomes the start of a series instead — with each later report adding a dated point you can actually compare against.
Further reading
AST is read the same way every other result on the report is. These two guides cover that method rather than this marker:
- How to read an Australian pathology report — A practical guide to dates, units, reference intervals and the context that belongs beside an Australian pathology result.
- Pathology report reference ranges: what they mean — Understand the laboratory interval, Australian guidance and the product context Vector adds to a result over time.
Common questions
What is the optimal AST level?
Vector treats 10–40 U/L as the optimal range for AST, with sex-specific bands of 10–40 for men and 10–35 for women. An optimal range is a target the app tracks against, not a clinical threshold, and it can differ from the interval your laboratory prints.
What is the normal range for AST in Australia?
The harmonised Australian adult reference interval for AST is 5–35 U/L for men and 5–30 U/L for women. This interval is harmonised across participating Australian and New Zealand laboratories, so it does not change between providers.
What unit is AST reported in on Australian pathology reports?
AST is usually reported in U/L on Australian pathology reports. The performing laboratory prints a reference interval in the same unit beside the result, and that interval is the one that governs your individual result.
What can change your AST result?
Recent hard exercise, muscle injury, alcohol, medicines and liver irritation can raise it. It is less liver-specific than ALT.
Sources
- RCPA Manual: Aspartate aminotransferaseAustralian pathology reference for this test and related result context.
- Healthdirect: liver function testsGeneral explanation of common liver blood tests.
Published 2 August 2026 · Updated 3 August 2026 · Author Vector