Tired, Yellow Eyes, or Digestion Issues? It Could Be Your Bilirubin

Your liver's health may be determined by its bilirubin levels, which can indicate when it is overworking or having trouble efficiently processing waste. Because it is a by-product of the breakdown of red blood cells, bilirubin must be filtered and eliminated by the liver. While low levels are less common, they can still be a sign of underlying health issues. Excessively high bilirubin levels might suggest liver disorder, bile duct blockage, or other dangerous disorders. Bilirubin level testing is crucial for early detection of hemolytic diseases, gallbladder problems, and liver malfunction. Understanding when to get tested and how to interpret your results is key to maintaining your liver health and overall well-being.

What is Bilirubin?

The breakdown of red blood cells releases bilirubin as a byproduct. Red blood cells disintegrate and reach your liver through blood to be removed after their life cycles are complete. Bilirubin and other waste materials are eliminated by your liver to make bile. Then through the intestines, bile leaves your body. The pigment that gives bile its characteristic yellow hue is called bilirubin. It tints your feces as well.

What is the Normal Range of Bilirubin Levels?

For both adults and children, normal levels of total bilirubin range between 0.2 and 1.3 mg/dL. Adults and children with total bilirubin levels between 0.2 and 1.3 mg/dL are generally regarded as normal. For newborns, conditions are a little different. Newborns' normal values might range between 1.0 to 12.0 mg/dL. Newborn hyperbilirubinemia is common and self-limiting. However, doctors keep an eye on these patients to ensure that bilirubin levels don't increase excessively or too quickly. In addition to being harmful to the infant, this might be a sign of a more serious illness.

What are the Dangerous Levels of Bilirubin in Adults?

When a newborn's bilirubin levels exceed 15 mg/dL during the first 48 hours or 20 mg/dL after 72 hours, doctors recommend immediate treatment. At these concentrations, there is more unconjugated bilirubin than there is albumin available to bind it. Newborns' growing brains can be harmed by unconjugated bilirubin because it can pass through the blood-brain barrier, which may cause brain damage.

The risk is not the same for children and adults. Adult brains are less susceptible, and adults are less likely to have large amounts of unconjugated bilirubin. Newborn's bodies synthesise bilirubin at a faster rate than adults, and conjugate it very slowly. Adult conjugated hyperbilirubinemia can be caused by a variety of other factors. Hyperbilirubinemia in adults can indicate a serious disease, but bilirubin itself is not toxic.

Also, read: Foods You Should Embrace and Avoid to Enhance Your Liver Health!

Causes of High Bilirubin Levels

A high bilirubin level may indicate a number of conditions. To assist make a diagnosis, your doctor will consider your symptoms together with the outcomes of any further investigations.

Gallstones: Compounds like bilirubin or cholesterol solidify in your gallbladder to form these stones. A digestive fluid called bile, which is stored in the gallbladder, aids in the breakdown of fats before they reach your intestines.
Gilbert’s syndrome: This is a hereditary liver disease that results in improper bilirubin processing, causing accumulation of bilirubin in your blood stream.
Liver dysfunction: This can happen due to any condition impairing liver function, causing abnormal bilirubin accumulation in the blood. These diseases can be cirrhosis, liver cancer, and autoimmune hepatitis. Your liver's inability to eliminate and absorb bilirubin from your circulation may cause this.
Hepatitis: This occurs when there is inflammation in your liver, which is often brought on by a viral infection. Your liver cannot readily break down bilirubin when it is inflamed, which causes it to accumulate in your blood.
Obstruction of the bile ducts: The bile ducts join your liver to the gallbladder and the duodenum (the entrance to your small intestine), facilitating the passage of bile containing bilirubin from your gallbladder and liver into your intestines. If these ducts become inflamed or obstructed, bile cannot be expelled sufficiently. This may result in elevated bilirubin levels.
Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy: This is a transient condition that usually occurs in the last trimester of pregnancy. It results in a slowdown or cessation of bile outflow from your liver. This results in elevated bilirubin levels because it is more difficult for your liver to process bilirubin from your blood.
Hemolytic anemia: It happens when your blood cells degrade too rapidly. It can happen genetically also. It can also be caused by infections, autoimmune diseases, or an enlarged spleen.

Common Symptoms of Abnormal Bilirubin Levels

The primary indicator of elevated bilirubin levels is jaundice. The following are other common indicators of underlying causes of elevated bilirubin:

Abdominal pain or swelling
Fever
Chills
Chest pain
Lightheadedness
Weakness
Fatigue
Vomiting
Nausea
Unusually dark urine
Fussiness
Poor feeding in infants

What is Serum Bilirubin Test & When Should You Get Tested?

In order to evaluate liver function and identify diseases such as bile duct blockage, liver disease, or jaundice, a serum bilirubin test analyzes the amount of bilirubin in the blood. It aids in assessing how well the liver breaks down and eliminates bilirubin.

If you have symptoms like exhaustion, nausea, dark urine, yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), or unexplained weight loss, you should be checked. As part of standard liver function monitoring, doctors may also suggest this test if you have hemolytic anemia, gallbladder problems, or liver disease.

Conclusion

Elevated bilirubin levels usually mean that your liver or gallbladder is not functioning properly. It is crucial to keep an eye on and care for them. The primary indicator of elevated bilirubin levels is jaundice, which should be reported to a doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor may advise your further blood, liver function, or other testing if they are unsure of the cause of your elevated bilirubin levels.

Learn about bilirubin levels, their causes, symptoms, and when to get tested. Get expert insights from for accurate diagnosis and better health management. Book your test now at Dr. B Lal Lab!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Can a high bilirubin level endanger your life?
A: Elevated bilirubin levels are often a sign of some underlying medical issue, which might vary in severity and prognosis. If left untreated, elevated blood bilirubin levels in babies can cause major problems such as kernicterus, which can cause brain damage, intellectual difficulties, and problems with hearing or vision.

Q2: Who is more likely to have high bilirubin levels?
A: Studies suggest that elderly patients and neonates are more susceptible to jaundice brought on by high bilirubin levels. However, a number of variables, such as age and sex, can also affect the cause behind such increase.

Q3:What does having elevated bilirubin levels mean?
A: Elevated bilirubin levels usually indicate that your liver isn't doing its job of filtering bilirubin efficiently. In adults, there are several reasons behind this. Newborn jaundice is usually the cause in neonates.