What is the norm of bilirubin in the blood of women and men?

Bilirubin is a bile pigment, one of the products of the breakdown of hemoglobin, which provides the blood with a characteristic red color. Its percentage ratio in the blood is the most important indicator on the basis of which it is possible to determine a number of diseases. What is the norm of bilirubin in the blood of women? First, we learn about how it is formed and what kinds of things happen.

How does bilirubin occur?

In red blood cells (erythrocytes), the substance contains hemoglobin, due to which oxygen from the lungs is transferred to all tissues of the body. In special cells of the spleen, bone marrow, liver, destruction of damaged red blood cells occurs. After that, hemoglobin is released, which as a result of certain reactions is converted to bilirubin.

The norm of bilirubin in the blood of women

Bilirubin can be direct and indirect. The totality of these two types is the total bilirubin. As a result of laboratory analysis, this is the key value. The norm of bilirubin in the blood of women is lower than that of men.

The newly formed bilirubin (indirect) is very dangerous for the central nervous system and the whole organism as a whole. In the liver, it binds to other substances and turns into bilirubin direct. In the blood, the norm of its content should not exceed 4.2 μmol / l. Associated (direct) bilirubin is one of the constituents of bile, which is secreted by the liver and is excreted from the body together with feces. The amount of indirect bilirubin should not exceed 17 μmol / l. The norm of total bilirubin in the blood should be a minimum of 8.5, a maximum of 20.4 μmol / l.

The norm of bilirubin in the blood of women: what can cause this increase?

The following factors may provoke an increase in bilirubin in the blood:

• Increase in the breakdown of red blood cells;

• Liver disease: cirrhosis, toxic hepatitis, cancer;

• A weak tone of the gallbladder, dyskinesia or obstruction of the bile duct and other liver diseases that prevent the excretion of bilirubin from the body;

• Inadequate vitamin B12 in the body.

Also, the increased content of this indicator can be diagnosed in newborns in the first weeks of life. The cause of this condition is the physiological destruction of erythrocytes. Pharmacological correction in this case is not required.

Symptoms of increased bilirubin

Symptoms of this condition can be the following:

• Icteric shade of the skin and mucous membranes;

• Discomfort in the left hypochondrium;

• Increased body temperature;

• Dark color of urine;

• A feeling of increased fatigue;

• headache;

• Increased heart rate.

How to reduce the amount of bilirubin in the blood?

To normalize the level of bilirubin in the blood, medication is used, which should be prescribed only by a doctor. In addition, for the treatment of this condition, it is necessary to follow certain principles of nutrition, which are:

• Complete exclusion from the diet of fatty, fried, spicy, salty foods, alcohol;

• Limiting the use of salt, tea and coffee;

• Increase in the use of cereals: oatmeal, buckwheat, rice;

• A significant increase in the daily intake of liquid: water, fruit drinks, compotes, juices, except for cranberry drinks.

After reading this article, you learned what the norm of bilirubin in the blood of women, as well as the causes, symptoms of its increase and the principles of treatment.