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Low total bilirubin level in the blood

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Low total bilirubin level in the blood
Last update: 27/03/2020

What is low total bilirubin level in the blood called?

  • Hypobilirubinemia

What is the normal level of total bilirubin in the blood?

If you need to know which are the bilirubin reference ranges or you require more information about the role of bilirubin in the blood, you can visit normal bilirubin level in the blood

What does a low total bilirubin level in the blood mean?

Hypobilirubinemia is not common and it is not an issue of concern. There are some labs that consider zero or not detected bilirubin level in the blood as normal value.

However, recent studies consider that there is a relationship between low serum bilirubin level and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (angina pectoris, heart attack, etc.).

Total bilirubin blood values are usually given in mg/dl but sometimes you can see those values in µmol/l following the International System of Units (SI). In case your values are in µmol/l you can convert them using this tool:

µmol/l
  • Mild hypobilirubinemia (< 0.3 mg/dl in adults):

    The bilirubin value in the blood is a bit low but it is not a matter for concern.

    If the calcium and phosphorus level in the blood are also low it can be a sign of bad intestinal lipid absorption.

Which factors can reduce the total bilirubin level in the blood?

There are some circumstances or drugs than can reduce your total bilirubin level in the blood:

  • Caffeine
  • Drugs
    • Antibiotics
      • Penicillin
    • Barbiturate

Which diseases can reduce your bilirubin level in the blood?

Lower than normal level of total bilirubin in the blood can be due to:

  • Depression

    Where can I find more information about total bilirubin in the blood?

    You can visit our pages about:

    Which values are considered a low total bilirubin level in the blood?

    The following values are considered to be below the normal range:

    IMPORTANT: These levels are expressed in mg/dl. They are an example of a healthy man of about 45 years of age with no known disease and not taking any medication. The ranges can be different depending on the laboratory or on your personal circumstances.

    The normal range in newborns for the first days of life differ from the following table. You must look for the applicable table for newborns.

    Bilirubin
    Mild hypobilirubinemia
    0.29 mg/dl0.28 mg/dl0.27 mg/dl0.26 mg/dl0.25 mg/dl0.24 mg/dl0.23 mg/dl0.22 mg/dl
    0.21 mg/dl0.2 mg/dl0.19 mg/dl0.18 mg/dl0.17 mg/dl0.16 mg/dl0.15 mg/dl0.14 mg/dl
    0.13 mg/dl0.12 mg/dl0.11 mg/dl0.1 mg/dl0.09 mg/dl0.08 mg/dl0.07 mg/dl0.06 mg/dl
    0.05 mg/dl0.04 mg/dl0.03 mg/dl0.02 mg/dl0.01 mg/dl0 mg/dl  
    Medically reviewed by Javier Muga Bustamante Ph.D. on 27/03/2020

    Bibliography

    • Concise Book of Medical Laboratory Technology: Methods and Interpretations. 2nd Edition. 2015. Ramnik Sood. ISBN: 978-93-5152-333-8. Pag. 454.
    • Thomas L. Bilirubin. In: Thomas L, ed. Clinical laboratory diagnostics. Use and assessment of clinical laboratory results. Frankfurt/Main: TH-Books Verlagsgesellschaft, 1998:192-202.
    • Balistreri WF, Shaw LM. Liver Function. In: Tietz NW, ed. Fundamentals of clinical chemistry. Philadelphia:WB Saunders Company, 1987:733-737. ISBN 9780721656106.
    • Painter PC, Cope JY, Smith JL. Reference information for the clinical laboratory. In: Burtis CA, Ashwood ER, eds. Tietz textbook of clinical chemistry. Philadelphia:WB Saunders Company, 1999;1803pp.
    • Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). Version 5.0.Published: November 27, 2017. U.S. Department of health and human Services. Available on: https://ctep.cancer.gov
    • Severity grading in drug induced liver injury. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Available on: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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