Recent research published by the American Society of Human Genetics offers some insights into the link between C-reactive protein or CRP level and inflammation. Low-grade inflammation is common in numerous medical conditions and CRP is a chemical marker of inflammation. While the genetic basis of chronic inflammation is still up for debate, studies have indicated that your CRP level and inflammation may play a role in the development of a more chronic state of inflammation.
Two studies based on the human genomesādata from 88 different studies conducted on over 200,000 Europeansāgive us some interesting insights into the interaction between an individualās CRP level and inflammation. The findings also providing a further understanding of the biology of inflammation, possible methods of addressing it, and the potential clinical consequences.
However, before going into more detail about your CRP level and inflammation, letās first look at the role of inflammation in your body.
Certain medical conditions, including fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis, are associated with inflammation. Inflammation is typically characterized by joint pain and stiffness, loss of joint function, swollen joints that may be warm to touch, and redness in the affected areas. But how and why does inflammation occur?
Inflammation is your bodyās way of protecting and healing itself as part of your bodyās immune response. It is a perfectly natural and necessary process that allows your body to protect itself from foreign invaders such as viruses and bacteria. However, sometimes for unknown reasons, your bodyās immune system triggers an inflammatory response when no foreign invaders are present. If this happens, your bodyās immune system and inflammatory response may actually end up damaging your own tissues. This is typically what happens in autoimmune conditions like those mentioned above. To a large extent, inflammation is governed by cortisol production.
As human beings, our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems must be balanced to guarantee optimal health. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the breakdown of tissue and fatsāknown as catabolic actionāwhich produce the energy needed to promote alertness, motivation, and so on, throughout the day. Your parasympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, promotes cell repair, healing, energy storage, and immunity, among other important functions.
Cortisol is a catabolic hormone. Its production is governed by the sympathetic nervous system, starting in the brain. When a threat is perceived, your bodyās NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response System is activated, resulting in the production of more cortisol. First, the hypothalamus sends chemical messengers to the pituitary gland. This, in turn, sends chemical signals to the adrenal glands that trigger increased cortisol production. During this period, your heart rate and blood pressure go up, blood sugar levels rise, and your body is in an alert state. Functions of the body that are not deemed necessary for immediate survival either slow down or stop entirely. Your body returns to normal once the stressful situation has passed. However, consistently high levels of stress can cause certain health conditions to manifest without you even realizing that stress is the cause. One of these conditions is chronic inflammation, part of your bodyās immune response.
Stress on your body due to pathogens or toxins causes your immune system to kick in to defend itself and cortisol production increases. Inflammation also begins to occur as your blood vessels dilate, their walls become more porous, and white blood cells move through the walls of blood vessels towards the site of infection. Swelling and pain in the infected area are the result of fluid buildup placing pressure on your nerves and heat is produced due to increased blood flow.
Inflammation is often countered by increased cortisol production. Cortisol is a powerful anti-inflammatory hormone that reacts quickly to the signs of inflammation and reduces redness and swelling in affected areas. Therefore, this important stress hormone is instrumental in maintaining balance in your body. It also has certain anti-inflammatory effects that can minimize autoimmune reactions. For this reason, doctors often prescribe steroids to treat autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. Corticosteroids can mimic the anti-inflammatory action of naturally occurring cortisol. However, steroids such as prednisone or hydrocortisone often have negative long-term side effects.
If your body is continuously bombarded by stress, whether environmental, physical, or psychological, leading to a persistent state of inflammation and increased cortisol, your adrenals will eventually become fatigued. As they start to become worn out, they produce less cortisol. This is common during the later stages of Adrenal Fatigue.
When you reach this stage, chronic inflammation sets in and your bodyās immune response will be compromised as your immune cells become more and more insensitive to the regulatory effects of cortisol. This type of inflammation contributes to Adrenal Fatigue. Your bodyās attempt to heal now becomes the cause of its inability to work at optimal levels. Ultimately, all the circuits of your body will be compromised and adrenal crashes are a possibility. The end result can be disastrous.
Interestingly, your genes may play a role in your CRP level and inflammation, according to one study. The researchers looked at factors such as weight and body mass index, and possible discrepancies between with CRP level and inflammation based on ancestry, age, etc. Overall, they found a potential genetic correlation between CRP levels and inflammation across different health conditions. Fifty-five genes were identified as being responsible for the associations between 29 different signals and CRP and inflammation. Although the study suggests there may a correlation between your level of CRP and inflammation as a result of your genes, they only indicate the possibility of inflammation occurring under certain conditions. Other factors must also come into play so genes are only part of the picture.
A CRP test can measure inflammation by telling you how much of this inflammatory molecule is in your blood. The molecule is manufactured in the liver and the levels in your body increase as inflammation increases. This makes it an excellent indicator of flare-ups, particularly in autoimmune or inflammatory conditions. Over time, however, chronic low-level CRP and inflammation can result in certain neurodegenerative and age-related conditions like Parkinsonās or Alzheimerās, as well as heart conditions, and even cancers.
While having elevated CRP in your blood is not associated with any obvious symptoms, it can serve as an indicator of certain health conditions. Apart from genes and obesity, other factors that play a role in the level of CRP and inflammation include stress, environmental toxins, and lifestyle. In particular, diet can have a huge impact, owing to the American fondness for consuming large quantities of refined, processed foods.
The comprehensive study only scratched the surface with regards to genes and CRP and inflammation. But it does lead the way for more research on the topic. Identifying specific markers would allow healthcare professionals to not only identify certain health concerns right from the outset but to address them.
While a low CRP level means you have a lower chance of developing a heart condition compared to someone with an elevated CRP level, itās important to remember that itās only a biomarker. In other words, it provides a tool for analyzing the amount of inflammation in your body but as yet, cannot be used to identify health conditions.
The important thing to remember is that your CRP level and inflammation are linked, and so are inflammation and cortisol levels. Therefore, by determining what is causing the increase in inflammation and cortisol production, you may be able to lower your CRP level. Although certain medications are effective in lowering CRP levels, they often result in their own set of health-related issues. Your genes may play a role in whether you are susceptible to a higher CRP level and as a result, inflammation and certain health issues. Unfortunately, thereās not much you can do about genetics.
Often, if you have a high CRP level, you may be contending not only with inflammation but acute infections as well. Common symptoms of infection include:
There are two main criteria to consider when it comes to lowering your bodyās CRP levels and addressing inflammation: diet and lifestyle. Making changes to both can help lower your risk of inflammation and your CRP level.
Changes to your diet donāt have to be radical. They should, however, be consistent.
You can make a lot of different lifestyle changes.
While strong evidence suggests your susceptibility to a higher CRP level and inflammation may have a genetic aspect, your genes are not the ultimate deciding factor. Lifestyle and dietary changes can go a long way towards staving off inflammation, and the symptoms associated with it.
© Copyright 2020 Michael Lam, M.D. All Rights Reserved.
CRP level and inflammation may influence Adrenal Fatigue. Cortisol production is elevated during the initial stages of the condition as your body strives to combat inflammation and a corresponding rise in CRP. Therefore, chronic inflammation may contribute towards the development of adrenal insufficiency during the later stages of AFS.