Abstract
Objective: It has been reported that bilirubin has a strong antioxidant action which may help prevent arteriosclerosis. We therefore examined a correlation between lifestyle and serum levels of total bilirubin.
Methods: Subjects were 21,166 persons who underwent an annual medical check-up at our clinic in 2009, whose serum total bilirubin levels were under 2.3mg/dl. We utilized a self-completed health questionnaire concerning lifestyle including details of smoking habit, alcohol consumption, exercise, stress and sleeping. We divided the subjects into 3 groups by BMI (body mass index): under 18.5(skinny), 18.5-25.0(normal), over 25.0(obese). Average serum levels of total bilirubin were compared among the groups.
Results: Serum levels of total bilirubin for non-smokers were significantly higher than those for past-smokers (p<0.01) and present-smokers (p<0.01). This tendency was observed for both genders. Levels of bilirubin were significantly lower in non-drinkers and non-exercisers. However, such tendency was not associated with stress or sleep. Serum levels of total bilirubin in the skinny group were significantly higher than those in the normal and obese groups for both men and women.
Conclusion: Serum levels of total bilirubin were associated with smoking, drinking, exercise and BMI. Therefore, the role of bilirubin in the pathology of lifestyle-related diseases should be examined in a future study.
