What to do if increased bilirubin is detected in the assays? Excessively high rates of this substance can be a symptom of many diseases. Bilirubin is formed as a result of the breakdown of hemoglobin. It is very toxic and can negatively affect all organs of a person if its amount in the blood is increased. Therefore, it is very important to find and eliminate the cause of the increase in bilirubin and take measures to eliminate it. You can read about how to quickly reduce bilirubin in the blood with medicines and with the help of traditional medicine in this article.
Pigment Overview
Before considering ways to reduce bilirubin, you need to understand what this substance is. This compound has a yellow-green color, is formed after the breakdown of hemoglobin into individual components, which can occur for various reasons. In the human body, bilirubin can be found in the blood and in bile. The liver is responsible for its excretion, therefore, an increase in this pigment is often associated with liver failure.
In total, two types of bilirubin are distinguished:
- Direct - liver-processed pigment that is safe for the body.
- Indirect - a toxic bilirubin that did not have time to contact. It is a free substance dangerous to humans.
- Total bilirubin is obtained from the sum of these two indicators.
Why is bilirubin so dangerous for the body? The fact is that it is not excreted by the kidneys and does not dissolve in water. However, it penetrates well into the cells of the body, causing disturbances in them. Albumin protein is involved in the transport of bilirubin to the liver. In the event that some changes occurred in the body, and the process was disrupted, the pigment remains in the blood and is carried by the circulatory system throughout the body. Since this is a toxin, it has a negative effect on all cells, but it “fails”, as a rule, the weakest organ.
The norm of bilirubin in the blood for an adult is 3.4 - 17.1 μmol / L for the sum of direct and indirect bilirubin. In newborns, the amount of this pigment is always overestimated. Immediately after birth, the amount of the substance is 50-60 μmol / L, and in a day this figure can increase to 170-250 μmol / L. This happens due to the active breakdown of hemoglobin, during which bilirubin is formed. The baby’s body adapts to new conditions: the hemoglobin of the fetus is replaced by an "adult", and the liver can not always cope with such stresses. Therefore, the newborn "turns yellow." To find out how to lower bilirubin in the blood, you need to understand what diseases cause it.
Causes of Elevated Bilirubin
If an adult has bilirubin in the blood, this can be a symptom of various health problems.
The most common causes are:
- Gallstone disease, inflammatory diseases of the pancreas, damage to the duodenum 12, impaired outflow of bile into the intestine.
- Hepatitis of all forms and types.
- Infectious mononucleosis.
- Cancerous diseases.
- Abnormally fast decay of red blood cells.
- Destruction of the liver.
- Pregnant jaundice.
- Reducing the production of enzymes responsible for the processing of bilirubin.
- Diseases that lead to accelerated decay of red blood cells.
- Genetic abnormalities.
- Snake bites, poisoning.
Elevated bilirubin speaks of many diseases that can sometimes be noticed only after passing a blood test. How to reduce bilirubin in the blood in adults? First you need to perform an organism diagnosis and understand what disease caused the disturbance in the body.
Analysis preparation
If your doctor has ordered you to have a bilirubin test, you need to know that there are a number of specific requirements. They must be followed to reduce the likelihood of inaccuracies in the results. It is best to donate blood to fasting bilirubin in the morning. If you go for analysis in the afternoon, then food should be excluded at least 4 hours before delivery. No restrictions apply to children. You also need to know that some substances and preparations affect the result of analyzes:
- All products containing coffee and caffeine: some sweet sodas, energy drinks, chocolates, green tea.
- Starvation.
- Some drugs for the liver and choleretic drugs.
- Some medicines: Aspirin, Warfarin, Heparin.
- Pregnancy.
- Alcohol.
- Fried and fatty foods.
If you took a certain drug or ate a certain food before the analysis, do not forget to inform your doctor about it to exclude inaccuracy in the test.
How to reduce bilirubin in the blood in adults?
Since the range of possible causes of an increase in bilirubin in the blood is quite wide, the methods of treatment are very different. A bilirubin test is prescribed if you have the following concomitant symptoms or indications:
- Anemia.
- Jaundice.
- Long-term use of drugs that affect the liver.
- Alcohol or drug addiction.
- Pregnancy.
How to reduce bilirubin in the blood? This requires a comprehensive treatment. Usually, two types of drugs are prescribed - those that affect the underlying disease and reduce blood bilirubin. In severe cases, when there is damage to the liver or other internal organs, treatment in a hospital is necessary under the constant supervision of a doctor. In mild cases, as a rule, the following drugs are prescribed:
- Cholagogue drugs that contribute to the normal production of bile and the normalization of its outflow. These are Karsil, Allohol and their analogues.
- Medicines that protect the liver and contribute to its recovery: Essentiale, Hepatrin.
- Sorbents - to remove part of the toxins from the body.
- Antioxidants - to prevent the appearance of free radicals.
- Antibacterial drugs - in case of inflammatory processes in the pancreas or 12 duodenal ulcer.
- Immunomodulators are prescribed to maintain the general condition of the body.
- Antiviral agents. If the increase in bilirubin is caused by infectious diseases, then these drugs help the body cope with them.
Lower bilirubin in children
Reducing bilirubin in the blood with medicines is available not only for adults, but also for children. In newborns, an increased concentration of pigment in the blood can lead to damage to the nervous system and brain, and this disease develops very rapidly.
The cytotoxic effect of bilirubin on the baby's body can be manifested by tipping the head, increased tone, and seizures. In order to prevent this from happening, all newborns control their bilirubin levels in the blood. If its amount is increased, then treatment is carried out using a lamp to reduce bilirubin in newborns.
Phototherapy or phototherapy is one of the most effective methods for treating neonatal jaundice, which appears as a result of increased bilirubin in the blood. The secret lies in the blue rays that destroy the pigment. Under their action, it breaks down into substances that are easily excreted from the body. In newborns, there may be such reasons for applying lamp treatment:
- Prematurity.
- Low body temperature (up to 35 degrees).
- Rhesus conflict with mother.
- Anemia, hemorrhages, hematomas.
- The yellowness of the skin.
- Yellowed eyeballs.
Timely treatment and diagnosis can prevent serious damage to the body of the crumbs. If you notice a violation in the newborn that is visible to the eye, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Diet treatment
Ways to lower bilirubin in the blood in adults will include more than just drugs. To normalize processes in the body, it is also recommended to follow a special diet, which helps to normalize pigment and prevent such conditions in the future.
A diet to reduce bilirubin in the blood is based on a proper diet that excludes all harmful substances:
- Meals should be 5-6 meals a day.
- All fried, spicy, salty and smoked dishes that do not fit the concept of "diet" should be excluded. The same goes for sweet carbonated drinks and juices that contain a lot of sugar.
- Coffee, green tea and salt should also be removed from the diet.
- The diet should contain a large amount of fiber and greens, but flour and bakery products are better to eat less.
- Steamed or boiled food can be not only healthy, but also tasty.
- The amount of fluid you drink can be increased to 2-2.5 liters per day, if everything is in order with the kidneys.
It should be noted that using a diet as the only way to reduce bilirubin in the blood is not recommended. This is due to the fact that herbal medicine acts more slowly than drugs. This can negatively affect the health of the child, since the pigment is toxic. But as a supporting agent or method of prevention, the use of products to reduce bilirubin in the blood can bring excellent results.
Folk remedies to reduce bilirubin
Medicines based on prescriptions of healers have long been used around the world as an effective supportive treatment. There are many folk remedies for lowering bilirubin in the blood.
Here are a few recipes:
- Tincture of chamomile, St. John's wort and oak bark can be taken every day before bedtime in the amount of 100 ml.
- Calendula broth has hepatoprotective properties. You need to take medicine 1 glass 3 times a day.
- Fresh beet juice can be not only a source of vitamins, but also a medicine. To reduce bilirubin in the blood, it is necessary to take it before meals.
- Two teaspoons of chamomile, motherwort and St. John's wort, filled with boiling water, must be insisted for about 20 minutes. The resulting medicine should be taken 20 minutes before meals 2 times a day.
- Milk thistle has been used in folk medicine for a long time to reduce bilirubin. It helps to quickly reduce the amount of pigment in the blood. To prepare the tincture, 1 tsp. seed pour a glass of water and wait 20 minutes. Take the filtered solution several times a day before meals, but not more than 3 weeks.
Traditional medicine may not be the only way to treat bilirubin in the blood. Examination by a doctor and medication are mandatory for increased bilirubin. But folk remedies can help normalize the patient's condition and quickly return to normal.
How to quickly reduce bilirubin in the blood?
Treatment of elevated bilirubin should be based on the overall picture of the disease and tests. All drugs should be prescribed only by a doctor after a complete examination of the patient. Sometimes an increase in pigment is caused by a violation of the outflow of bile. In such cases, choleretic drugs can have a quick effect.
It happens that an increase in bilirubin is caused by infectious diseases of the liver. Then the course of treatment includes antibiotics and antiviral agents. If the patient has Gilbert's syndrome, then Zixorin and Phenobarbital can be prescribed. It should be noted that at least 7 days must pass for a clear effect to appear. If you want to see the result faster, you can try to connect folk remedies that will accelerate the effect of drugs.
Prevention
To avoid an increase in bilirubin in the blood, it is important to observe a number of preventive actions.
They are based on a healthy lifestyle, which has a beneficial effect on the whole body and allows all organs to function normally, without being distracted by the neutralization of the negative effects of smoking, nutrition or bad habits. The list of preventive measures against an increase in bilirubin in the blood includes:
- Refusal of bad habits: alcohol, smoking, drugs.
- Following a diet and refusing snacks and similar products (chips, fried and salty foods, etc.).
- Exercise 4-5 times a week.
- Outdoor walks lasting 20 minutes or more.
- Balanced diet.
- Clinical examination once a year with key specialists.
- Timely examination and treatment of the gallbladder and liver.
Expert Advice
Treatment for elevated bilirubin is effective in the early stages of the disease. Therefore, doctors recommend taking a bilirubin test in the following circumstances:
- In complex and biochemical examinations.
- In case of poisoning.
- With pulling pain in the liver.
- If you have cholecystitis, pancreatitis, or gallstone disease.
- If hepatitis or cirrhosis is suspected.
- If you have a history of alcohol or drug addiction.
- With hemolytic disease.
- In newborns.
- In order to control treatment in a hospital or with a number of other diseases.
Summary
Elevated bilirubin is a marker of many dangerous diseases. In itself, the excessive formation of this pigment can be destructive to the body and lead to a variety of pathologies. The method of reducing bilirubin for each individual case is different. There is no single drug that would reduce the amount of this substance.
For each patient, an anamnesis and examination are performed to reduce the level of bilirubin in the blood. These methods allow you to evaluate the general condition of a person and prescribe adequate treatment, which will quickly have an effect. If you need to lower bilirubin, remember that medications do this job better. Traditional medicine is good only as part of complex therapy. The general prognosis of the course of the disease depends on how quickly treatment is started, therefore, at the first suspicious symptoms, consult a doctor.