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Are there any benefits for Gilbert syndrome?
As bizarre as the question sounds, the answer is yes. As a general rule, when a condition is so prevalent, it is either of limited or no harm or that it takes decades to cause considerable harm. In the case of patients with Gilbert syndrome who have a mildly elevated level of unconjugated bilirubin, the bilirubin acts as an antioxidant that decreases the risk of many diseases, including but not limited to diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis in general. This serves as a basis to understand why people with Gilbert syndrome usually do not need treatment as long as their bilirubin level is low enough and no other conditions exist.
