If bilirubin is naturally present in the body, a high level is a serious symptom. Focus on this substance and its dangers.
Bilirubin is a yellow colored substance found in bile. It is also found in the blood in small quantities. What is bilirubin? When and how is this substance analyzed? What is its normal dosage? When should you worry?
High bilirubin: here’s everything you need to know.
What is bilirubin?
Bilirubin is a water-insoluble yellow color pigment. It comes from the degradation of hemoglobin. It is in particular the main dye from beads (fluid produced by the liver). We are talking here regarding free bilirubin. A very toxic substance for the brain.
In newborns, the liver is not yet mature. It is therefore very common for babies to be subject to jaundice during their first 5 days of life. Generally, a simple exposure to daylight helps the infant to fight once morest this phenomenon. If the skin is still yellow beyond 7 days of life, consult quickly.
The yellow pigment is formed in the spleen and bone marrow. It then travels to the liver via albumin (a transport protein in the blood).
Arriving in the liver, the substance is conjugated with gluconic acid. This is when it becomes water soluble. It is moreover the presence of conjugated bilirubin in the intestines and the colon which gives this brownish color to the stool.
What happens if the yellow pigment level is too high? How to detect it? What consequences for health?
When and how is a bilirubin test done?
Several cases can lead the doctor to prescribe an analysis:
- your skin and eyes tend to turn yellow
- potential liver dysfunction
- suspicion of a problem with the gallbladder
Regarding the analysis, it is a simple blood test. The objective is to detect the level of bilirubin in the blood.
Before your examination, the doctor advises you:
- not to have eaten or drunk anything for at least 4 hours before the blood test;
- to stop your possible treatment.
Attention, only the doctor makes the decision to modulate your treatment. Don’t make this decision alone. If in doubt, seek the advice of a healthcare professional.
What is the normal bilirubin level?
The level of total bilirubin (free + conjugated) varies from birth until the 4th week of the infant. Then the rate stabilizes between 3 and 10 mg/L of blood :
- 2 to 7 mg/L of free bilirubin blood
- 1 to 3 mg/L of conjugated bilirubin blood.
Certain physiological variations can have consequences on the results of the blood test:
- men generally have higher values than women;
- during the first 2 trimesters of pregnancy, a drop in the rate is generally observed;
- certain anemias (lack of iron for example) can lower the rate;
- taking medication causes the values to increase or decrease.
However, this does not mean that the subjects have a pathology.
High bilirubin: should you be worried?
If the doctor orders a blood test, is that he has doubts regarding your state of health. The possible diseases are more or less serious. However, it is better to be taken care of as soon as possible in order to treat quickly and not to let your case worsen.
High free bilirubin
The possible consequences of such a result are:
- significant destruction of red blood cells. Malaria may be the cause of these results;
- a problem with the conjugation of hemoglobin in the liver. This is what happens in infants. When this occurs in adulthood, it may be Gilbert’s syndrome or Crigler Najjar’s syndrome.
Be aware that some people have high free bilirubin without any pathology.
High conjugated bilirubin level
In this case, in addition to yellowish skin, other symptoms may appear:
Bile has an essential role in digestion. If this one does not secrete in sufficient quantity, then it is the whole digestive system is upset.
Such results are explained by:
- gallstones or a tumor that blocks the ducts that carry bile;
- acute viral hepatitis;
- cirrhosis of the liver;
- Dubin-Johnson and Rotor syndromes;
- liver cancer;
- cholestasis of pregnancy: occurs especially during pregnancy.
If you have any doubts, do not hesitate to consult quickly. Late treatment can lead to multiple complications.
High bilirubin: what to remember
If symptoms such asyellowish skin, yellow eyes, stool discoloration, etc. appear, consult quickly. High bilirubin levels suggest that the liver is malfunctioning.
Some illnesses require drug treatment. Take your results very seriously and go to your doctor. The earlier you treat the pathology, the more you limit the risk of aggravation.