TL;DR: A bilirubin blood test measures a substance made when old red blood cells break down, but the result cannot identify the cause of a problem on its own. MedlinePlus
Key takeaways
- Bilirubin is a yellowish substance produced during the normal breakdown of old red blood cells. MedlinePlus
- Bilirubin can appear in a liver profile; North Bristol NHS Trust lists it as part of its liver profile. NHS laboratory guidance
- High bilirubin has several possible explanations, and an abnormal result does not always mean a condition needing treatment. MedlinePlus
- If your skin or the whites of your eyes look yellow, ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111. NHS
What does a bilirubin blood test measure?
A bilirubin blood test measures the level of bilirubin in your blood. Bilirubin is found in bile, the fluid your liver makes to help digest food, and the body produces it when it breaks down old red blood cells. MedlinePlus
It is therefore a measurement of a named substance, not a complete verdict on the liver. MedlinePlus explicitly describes bilirubin testing as only one measure of liver health and says other tests may be needed. Source
The report may look wonderfully decisive. Biology has not agreed to make every answer fit into a single box.
Why might bilirubin appear alongside liver tests?
Bilirubin may appear as one part of a liver profile. North Bristol NHS Trust's laboratory page lists it that way and gives jaundice as an indication for the test. This describes that laboratory's service, not a guarantee that every differently named panel contains the same tests. Source
MedlinePlus says the test may be used to investigate jaundice, check liver health or monitor how well a treatment is working. Those are clinical uses of bilirubin testing, not claims about mescreen™'s wellness assessment. Source
For an introduction to the wider panel, read our liver function tests guide. Keep the interpretation of your own results with the healthcare professional who requested them.
Does high bilirubin automatically mean liver disease?
No, a high bilirubin result does not automatically identify liver disease. MedlinePlus lists possible explanations including liver disease, blockage in bile ducts and haemolytic anaemia, where red blood cells are destroyed faster than they are made. It also says abnormal results do not always mean a condition needing treatment. Source
Those possibilities explain why context matters; they are not a menu from which to choose your own diagnosis. MedlinePlus advises discussing the meaning of the result with your healthcare provider. Source
A flagged result can supply a question. It does not get to write the whole clinical story unaccompanied.
Which reference range should you use?
Use the reference range supplied by the laboratory that performed the test. MedlinePlus says bilirubin reference ranges can vary between laboratories and that results may need further testing when they are outside the laboratory's range. Source
North Bristol's page provides its own age-specific ranges. That is one laboratory's guidance, not a universal threshold this article should use to interpret somebody else's report. Source
Keep the test name, unit and local range together when you ask about the result. The NHS advises speaking to a healthcare professional if you have questions or do not understand blood-test results. Source
When does yellow skin or yellowing of the eyes need urgent help?
If your skin or the whites of your eyes look yellow, ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111. The NHS says jaundice can be a sign of something serious and requires urgent medical help. NHS jaundice guidance
Yellowing of the skin may be less noticeable on brown or black skin, while the whites of the eyes may look yellow. The NHS also notes that itchy skin, darker urine and paler stools can occur. Source
Do not wait for a wellness assessment or a future report before using that care route. This article concerns adult test literacy, not the separate assessment of jaundice in babies.
What should you ask about your report?
Ask why bilirubin was measured, how it fits with the other findings and what happens next. The NHS says a GP, nurse or specialist should explain your results and the next steps, and advises asking a healthcare professional when results are unclear. Source
Useful discussion prompts include: which result needs attention, is more information needed before interpreting it, and who will arrange any planned follow-up? These are questions for a consultation, not an instruction to change medicines, supplements, diet or fluid intake.
Where does mescreen™ fit?
mescreen™'s current UK page describes its service as a wellness and functional laboratory assessment for informational purposes, not a medical diagnostic test. mescreen™ UK
This article does not establish that mescreen™ measures bilirubin, explains an abnormal bilirubin result or investigates jaundice. Read the current mescreen™ information if you are considering the service, and keep questions about clinical blood-test results with your healthcare professional.
Limitations
This article cannot interpret an individual's result, identify its cause or recommend treatment. It does not establish that an in-range result excludes illness, and it does not cover newborn jaundice. No diagnostic or health-outcome benefit is claimed for MeScreen. Images are generated editorial illustrations, not actual samples, results, equipment validation or photographs of mescreen™ facilities.
Sources
- MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, Bilirubin Blood Test, updated 27 October 2024: https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/bilirubin-blood-test/
- North Bristol NHS Trust, Bilirubin laboratory guidance: https://www.nbt.nhs.uk/severn-pathology/requesting/test-information/bilirubin
- NHS, Jaundice, reviewed 22 January 2024: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/jaundice/
- NHS, Blood tests, reviewed 2 November 2023: https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/blood-tests/
- mescreen™ UK, current product boundary and service information: https://mescreen.co.uk/