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I read your article about bilirubin protecting cells from free radicals and possibly cancer and heart disease. People with Gilbert’s syndrome, which affects 5 percent of the population, have higher-than-normal amounts of bilirubin in their blood. Has any study been conducted to ascertain whether people with Gilbert’s syndrome have a lower incidence of cancer and heart disease?

Bruce Weinstein
Riverdale, N.Y.

Yes, says Solomon H. Snyder of Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions: “An excellent study [referenced in our paper] shows a five-fold reduction in ischemic heart disease in Gilbert’s patients.” –J. Travis