Gilbert Syndrome

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Gilbert Syndrome

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Overview

Gilbert’s syndrome is a common and harmless condition where people experience occasional episodes of jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes).

Gilbert’s syndrome is caused by a build-up of a yellow pigment,

Overview

called bilirubin, in the blood. Bilirubin is found naturally in the

blood and is formed when red blood cells break down. The body usually

removes bilirubin, but in Gilbert’s syndrome this process does not work

properly.

Overview

If you have Gilbert’s syndrome, during an episode of jaundice you may have symptoms such as:

-- stomach cramps

-- feeling very tired (fatigue)

-- problems concentrating and thinking clearly (brain fog)

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-- a general sense of feeling unwell

However, around one in three people with Gilbert’s syndrome

experience no noticeable symptoms and the condition is only detected

during testing for other, unrelated conditions.

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People with Gilbert’s syndrome often find that there are certain ‘triggers’ that can bring on jaundice, such as:

-- being dehydrated

-- going without food for long periods of time (fasting)

-- being ill with an unrelated infection

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-- stress

-- in women, having their monthly period

The jaundice and any associated symptoms will pass without the need for treatment.

People with Gilbert’s syndrome are often concerned about

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having jaundice because jaundice can often be a sign of an underlying

liver problem, such as cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) or hepatitis C.

However, it is important to stress that Gilbert’s syndrome is

harmless and has nothing to do with liver problems. People with

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Gilbert’s syndrome are no more likely to develop liver disease than the

population at large.

Symptoms

-- stomach cramps

-- feeling very tired (fatigue)

-- problems concentrating and thinking clearly (brain fog)

-- a general sense of feeling unwell

Diagnosis

Gilbert’s syndrome can be diagnosed using a blood test to measure the levels of bilirubin in your blood.

It is likely that you will also have another type of blood test

called a liver function test. When the liver is damaged, it releases

Diagnosis

enzymes into the blood. At the same time, levels of proteins that the

liver produces to keep the body healthy begin to drop.

By measuring the levels of these enzymes and proteins, it is possible

to build up a reasonably accurate picture of how well the liver is

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functioning.

If the tests show that you have high levels of bilirubin in your

blood but your liver is working normally, a diagnosis of Gilbert’s

syndrome can usually be made with confidence.

Treatment

Gilbert’s syndrome does not require treatment because the condition

does not pose a threat to health and is not associated with any

complications.

Treatment

There is no reason to modify your diet if you have Gilbert’s syndrome and the standard recommendations on diet and exercise will still apply to you.

You may find it useful to avoid known triggers for the condition, such as dehydration and fasting.

Causes

Gilbert's syndrome is a genetic condition. People with Gilbert’s

syndrome have a faulty gene that means their body has problems breaking

down a substance in the blood called bilirubin.

Causes

Normally, when red blood cells reach the end of their life (after

about 120 days), haemoglobin, the red pigment that carries oxygen in the

blood, breaks down into bilirubin.

The liver converts bilirubin into a water-soluble form, which then

Causes

passes into bile and is eventually removed from the body in urine or

stools. Bilirubin gives urine its light yellow colour and stools their

dark brown colour.

In Gilbert’s syndrome, the faulty gene means that bilirubin is not

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converted at the normal rate. It builds up in the bloodstream and can

cause the skin and eyes to take on a yellowish tinge.

Other than inheriting the abnormal gene, there are no known risk

factors for developing Gilbert's syndrome. It is not related to any

Causes

lifestyle habits or caused by environment factors.

Gilbert Syndrome

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