Q: What is LDH? What is the normal level of LDH? My reading is 390. How will it affect me?

A:Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is most often measured to evaluate the presence of tissue damage. The enzyme LDH is in many body tissues, especially the heart, liver, kidney, skeletal muscle, brain, blood cells, and lungs. The LDH enzyme catalyzes the interconversion of pyruvate and lactate. Exercising muscles convert (and red blood cells metabolise) glucose to lactate. Lactate is released into the blood and is eventually taken up by the liver. The liver converts lactate back to glucose and releases glucose into the blood. This glucose is then taken up by resting muscles, red blood cells, and other tissues. The normal values may vary slightly from laboratory to laboratory and range from 105-333 IU/L (international units/litre). In your case the elevation is marginal, and requires clinical evaluation. The commonest cause for such an elevation could be muscle injury due muscle stiffness in Parkinson's.