What exactly is CRP, and why should you be concerned about it?

0
282
CRP

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a blood protein that is a reliable biomarker for inflammation in the body, including both general and cardiac-related inflammation. C-Reactive Protein The most Deadly Fat-Storing Protein!

A simple blood test called high-sensitivity C-reactive protein can detect it (hsCRP). A person with a high hsCRP level is four times more likely to develop heart and blood vessel disease than someone otherwise healthy.

Is the most important risk factor for heart disease inflammation?

Even though the link between inflammation and the risk of cardiovascular disease has been known for over two decades, the traditional approach to reducing that risk still focuses on lowering cholesterol.

When Your CRP Is High, What Should You Do?

The biomarker C-reactive protein (CRP) is a molecule produced by the liver in response to inflammation in the body. CRP levels above 10 milligr

ammes per litre (mg/L) are regarded as very high. The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, on the other hand, view a level of 2 mg/L or more as a potential risk factor for heart attacks. 1

Such outcomes can indicate inflammatory disorders ranging from infection to arthritis. However, excessive CRP is a cause for concern because it is linked to an increased risk of heart problems, such as heart stroke.

CRP is not frequently tested in the same way other blood tests are. The majority of experts, including the US Preventive Services Task Force, advise against it. 3

If your healthcare professional suspects you have an infection or another inflammatory illness, your CPR levels may be tested. A high CRP level may catch you off guard if you don’t have any evident symptoms.

Continue reading to learn more about what causes high CRP levels, what your results mean, and what you can do to lower them.

What Does a High CRP Level Indicate?

CRP levels that remain elevated over an extended time may indicate chronic inflammation of the blood vessels.

The accumulation of fat and other substances in the arterial walls, a condition known as atherosclerosis, is caused by this type of low-grade inflammation.

Coronary artery disease is caused by narrowing the arteries that provide blood to the heart (CAD). A heart attack, stroke, or heart failure can occur over time.

This is true even in people with high CRP levels but no visible symptoms of ongoing inflammation.

Inflammation is now well-known to play a role in the development of atherosclerosis. CRP elevation is strongly linked to an increased risk of coronary artery disease.

What is unknown is whether CRP contributes directly to CAD.

Taking Care of Your Risk Factors

It’s unclear how effective it is to take efforts geared especially at lowering your CRP levels.

Similarly, whether or not medication directed specifically at reducing CRP levels can reduce cardiovascular risk.

Apart from that, knowing your CRP levels are high should motivate you to take advantage of every opportunity to lower your risk of heart disease.

CRP levels that are elevated are almost usually linked to other heart disease risk factors, such as:

• Smoking

• Obesity

• A sedentary lifestyle

• High cholesterol levels

• Hypertension (high blood pressure)

• Diabetes

• Metabolic syndrome (also known as metabolic syndrome) (a combination of high blood pressure, high blood sugar, abnormal lipid levels, and excess abdominal fat)

Talk to your doctor about your heart disease risk factors and what you can do about them, as well as your CRP levels.

Changes in habits, weight loss initiatives, and medication may all be involved.

Recap

CRP levels that are too high are linked to an increased risk of heart disease. While it’s unclear how much lowering CRP will assist, elevated levels indicate that you’re likely dealing with other risk factors that require immediate treatment.

CRP Levels Reduction

While the importance of lowering increased CRP is still debated, researchers have found many approaches.

Which Diet Is Best for Lowering C-Reactive Protein?

According to a recent widely reported study, even in patients with normal cholesterol levels, lowering CRP levels with statin medicines reduced the risk of heart attacks.

Since then, many people have inquired, “Do I need to take statins to lower my CRP?” Is it possible to reduce C-reactive protein without using drugs, such as by diet and exercise?”

According to Dr Jay Kenney, Nutrition Research Specialist at the Pritikin Longevity Center, “you may very successfully lower CRP levels with lifestyle modifications like a good diet and regular exercise.”

First, it’s crucial to recognise that persons who are overweight or obese have higher CRP levels, in part because larger fat cells produce more CRP. “Bigger fat cells release more of the chemical interleukin-6 (IL-6), which causes the liver to create more CRP,” explains Dr Kenney.

What You Should Not Do

A low-carb, high-fat diet like Atkins should be avoided. In a 2007 trial, Virginia Tech researchers put predominantly obese women on an Atkins-style diet. The women shed an average of eight pounds, although their CRP levels increased by 25%.

Weight Loss and CRP Reduction

In the same trial, the researchers put the women on a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet, similar to the Pritikin Program, and discovered that they lost about six pounds on average, and their CRP dropped by 43% in just four weeks.

Men, women, and children that visited the Pritikin Longevity Center experienced similar results. The Pritikin Program has been shown to reduce CRP levels considerably in just two to three weeks, with women experiencing a 45% reduction, males 39% reduction, and children 41% reduction.

Where can I obtain assistance?