HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE DAMAGING INFLAMMATION? – PART II

There are several tests used to measure inflammation, but the C-Reactive Protein or CRP test is one of the most common. This test measures a protein released in your liver and found in your blood. CRP levels rise with tissue damage and infections, which increased inflammation. Lab values for low CRP are less than 1 mg/L, moderate is 1-2 mg/L, and high CRP is anything over 2.

Another common test is called your ESR or erythrocyte sedimentation rate. This test measures inflammation by measuring the rate that the red blood cells sink in a tube of blood over an hour. The quicker they sink, and more likely you are to have inflammation. Most people with autoimmune diseases have a high ESR.

Checking your hemoglobin A1C is going to be critical. Blood sugar imbalance is one of the main causes of inflammation. Therefore, this test will give you an average reading of your blood sugar over the past two to three months. The clinically acceptable range for A1C is 4.8-5.6; however, an optimal range is really 4.5-5.2. Anything more than that is going to drive inflammation.

Another test that is very important and is seldomly performed, is a fasting insulin test to detect hyperinsulinemia. It is an early indicator of metabolic dysfunction and strongly associated with type II diabetes. Hyper insulin means you have too much insulin in your body, usually resulting from insulin resistance, which generally begins with inflammation.

Serum ferritin is another test used to detect iron deficiency anemia and other health issues. It can indicate inflammation, liver disease, autoimmune disease or cancer. Ferritin is a protein within the cells that stores iron and is released when your body needs it. It helps balance iron deficiency and iron overload.

Liver enzymes levels are also helpful to identify inflammation. You will often see these as an ALT, AST, GGT or alkaline phosphatase on a blood test. They all can indicate inflammation for various reasons, like liver stress and deficiencies of B6 or zinc.

Balanced ratios are needed with our HDL’s, LDL’s and triglycerides – not just the numbers themselves. If our ratios are out of balance, this can indicate insulin resistance and inflammation. So, a proper cholesterol profile with an LDL breakdown can be a great indicator of inflammation.

Pay attention to your Vitamin D levels. Vitamin D3, which is actually a hormone, is incredibly deficient in most Americans. Inadequate levels can indicate inflammation. Low levels of vitamin D have been connected to inflammatory diseases like atherosclerosis related cardiovascular disease (in other words, plaque in your arteries), chronic kidney disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, asthma, etc.

There are other tests that reveal inflammation in the body as well, but these are some of the more common ones. So, if you are experiencing chronic symptoms like fatigue, pain, headaches or digestive complaints and skin issues, chronic inflammation very well may be the cause.

Next week we will look at helpful protocols for improving inflammation.