Got my blood results other day amd bilirubin < 3. its always lower than 10 but being this low caused me to google it. bilirubin acts as an antioxidant in body and id protective against heart disease. more interesting is an american study that found low bilirubin levels is a feature in RhA PsA and SLE.
Anyone any more info? Or has anyone tried antioxidant supplements and improved?
Really interested in this!
I have Sjogrens and possible Lupus overlap but seronegative bloods. I have been treated with three monthly Depot Medrol injections topped up with oral steroids for the past two years and am about to start a trial of Mycophenolate in two weeks.
Along with this I have had severe biliary and pancreatic inflammation for many years which they think is due to inflammation from the the Sjogrens which can attack that area. The same cells in the siliva producing glands in the mouth are also found in the pancreas hence the link with Sjogrens. The steroids help me a little with this.
The strange thing is, despite this chronic inflammation in the liver area my bilirubin has always been incredibly low, down at less than 1 some of the time. This has often puzzled them as they say they would expect the levels to be much higher due to the chronic biliary inflammation.
I actually have to take a large dose of Ursofalk ,a bile acid tablet with each meal as I don't produce enough bile to digest my food.
Thanks so much for finding this info, I will ask about it when I see the gastro consultant in a few weeks.
I don't know of any supplements that can increase your body's production of bile as the Ursofalk I take is nearly adding more so I can manage to digest , especially protein.
I know that milk thistle is meant to be a liver tonic so it might help , but anything like that gives me more liver pain as the small ducts in my liver are inflammed all the time.
Will let you know if I find out any more but so glad you brought it up as I always found it strange, and despite looking it up was not able to find much about it. I think all I discovered was that it could be found in malniutrician. Apart from low protein levels however I eat a good healthy diet and am not under weight or malnourished.
Funnily enough i am seroneg inflammatory arthritis ? MCTD, my crp and esr are always low despite obviously swollen and painful joints with synovitis on USS.
wonder if seronegativity is connected somehow? I was thinking more along other antioxidants like coenzyme Q10 - not sure there is a way to make more bilirubin except eat black pudding as its broken down haemoglobin 😊
im glad it might be of use to you, rheums are so mysterious about our results and disapproving of us investigating our conditions, but so often they are getting it wrong no wonder we want to look into it and reassure ourselves....
Bilirubin is a breakdown product of haemoglobin. Low levels are not significant, very common and normal. Undetectable levels can sometimes occur if some red blood cells break during the blood taking process as this interferes with test.
Jacey - i fully understand that your comment is common thinking, but actually there is research into the increased incidence of several disease processes associated with low bilirubin levels...
Increase incidence of lung cancer in smokers, increased risk of Coronary Artery Disease, Inflammatory disorders and renal disease. Most interesting to me, Rheumatoid Arthritis Psoriatic Arthritis and SLE.
Bilirubin acts as a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. In healthy well people, low bilirubin may be a predictor for future health concerns, in us with complex inflammatory disorders, any research is interesting.
Hi cuttysark,
Lemon juice will increase bile. 
Magnesium sulfate footbaths will increase stomach acid too and may help.
I'm going to come back to this thread soon and open it out a little. I have lots to say on anti oxidants and the like.
Chat soon all!
Best wishes,
Wade
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