Bilirubin Total
The yellow pigment behind jaundice. A total bilirubin tells you whether the liver is clearing it, and is the first check when the eyes or skin look yellow or the urine turns dark
Also known as Total bilirubin, Serum bilirubin, Jaundice test, Bilirubin (Total), Total Bilirubin
₹129/-Free collection on orders above ₹500/-
- Reports within
- 8 hours
- Parameter included
- 01see list
- Sample
- Blood
- Fasting
- Not needed
- Measures
- Total bilirubin in the blood
- Identifies
- Jaundice, liver inflammation, bile duct blockage, haemolysis
Collected at home
A trained phlebotomist visits at a time you pick, from the next hour
Sealed single-use kit
Opened in front of you, and carried to the lab under controlled conditions
Report within 8 hours
On WhatsApp and email, with any value outside the normal range highlighted
What is the Bilirubin test?
Bilirubin is the yellow pigment left over when old red blood cells are broken down. The liver collects it, processes it and sends it out in bile. A total bilirubin test measures how much is circulating in the blood, in mg/dL. When the level climbs, the whites of the eyes go yellow first, then the skin, and the urine turns tea-coloured.
The result tells your doctor whether the liver is keeping up. A high value can mean the liver is inflamed (hepatitis, alcohol, a medicine), the bile duct is blocked (gallstones, a growth), or red cells are being destroyed faster than normal (haemolysis, some anaemias). A mildly raised total bilirubin with everything else normal is often Gilbert's syndrome, a harmless inherited trait that shows up when you fast or fall ill.
No fasting is needed. The sample is collected at home and the report arrives in 8 hours.
Bilirubin parameters1 measured
Bilirubin — total
0.2–1.2 mg/dL
The yellow pigment left when old red cells are broken down, rising when the liver is inflamed, bile is blocked or red cells break down too fast
Reference ranges are the lab's defaults for adults and are printed on the report beside every value
How to prepare
- No fasting is needed.
- Avoid alcohol for 24 hours before the sample.
- Take regular medicines as usual and tell the phlebotomist what you take.
- Keep the sample out of sunlight; the phlebotomist will handle this, as light breaks bilirubin down.
Who should take it
Anyone whose eyes or skin look yellow, or whose urine has turned dark. People with pain under the right ribs, fever with nausea, or itching all over. Newborns who look yellow after the second day, on the paediatrician's advice. Anyone with known hepatitis, gallstones, cirrhosis or fatty liver, for follow-up. People on anti-tuberculosis drugs or other liver-affecting medicines. Anyone with unexplained anaemia or a family history of Gilbert's syndrome or thalassaemia.
Before the visit
Tell your doctor about anti-tuberculosis drugs, antibiotics such as amoxicillin-clavulanate, herbal preparations and recent heavy drinking. Fasting for a day or a viral fever can raise bilirubin in people with Gilbert's syndrome.
Why take the Bilirubin test?
- Yellow eyes or skin: Bilirubin is the first number to check, and it confirms whether it is jaundice.
- Dark urine or pale stools: Both point to bilirubin going the wrong way, and the test says how far.
- Newborn jaundice: Babies are checked so that phototherapy can start before the level becomes dangerous.
- Tracking a liver illness: Repeat values show whether hepatitis or a blockage is settling or getting worse.
- Unexplained anaemia: A raised bilirubin with a low haemoglobin suggests red cells are being broken down.
Questions about the Bilirubin test
What is a total bilirubin test used for?
It measures the yellow pigment that builds up when the liver cannot process or excrete it. It confirms jaundice, helps tell a liver problem from a bile duct blockage or red cell breakdown, and tracks whether a liver illness is settling.
Do I need to fast for a bilirubin test?
No fasting is needed. In fact, a long fast can raise bilirubin in people with Gilbert's syndrome, so eat normally. Avoid alcohol for 24 hours beforehand.
What sample is taken and how does home collection work?
A small blood sample from the arm. A trained phlebotomist comes to your home with a sealed single-use kit and keeps the sample shielded from light on the way to the lab, because sunlight breaks bilirubin down.
What is the normal range for total bilirubin?
For adults, 0.2 to 1.2 mg/dL. Yellowing of the eyes usually becomes visible above 2.5 to 3 mg/dL. Newborns have their own, much higher, age-based ranges that the paediatrician interprets.
What does a high bilirubin mean?
Either the liver is inflamed (hepatitis, alcohol, a medicine), bile is blocked (gallstones, a growth), or red cells are being destroyed faster than normal. A mild rise with normal liver enzymes is often harmless Gilbert's syndrome. Your doctor will usually add a full liver panel and a direct bilirubin to sort out which.
Who should get a bilirubin test?
Anyone with yellow eyes or skin, dark urine, pale stools, itching, or pain under the right ribs. Newborns who look yellow after day two. People with known hepatitis, gallstones or cirrhosis, and those on anti-tuberculosis drugs, on the schedule their doctor sets.
How long does the bilirubin report take?
8 hours from collection. The report is sent on WhatsApp and email. If your eyes are visibly yellow or you have fever and abdominal pain, see a doctor the same day without waiting for the report.
My bilirubin is slightly high but I feel fine. Should I worry?
Often not. A value just above 1.2 mg/dL with normal SGPT, SGOT and alkaline phosphatase is commonly Gilbert's syndrome, an inherited trait that needs no treatment. Still show the report to a doctor, who may repeat it with a direct bilirubin and a liver panel to be sure.
Commonly tested together
Often on the same prescription
₹320/-₹400/-20% off
What happens after you book
- A phlebotomist is assigned and reaches you in your chosen slot, as soon as the next hour
- The sample is collected with a sealed single-use kit and moved on a cold chain
- The report lands on WhatsApp and email within 8 hours