Perhaps you’ve heard someone say they have high C-reactive protein, or maybe your own doctor has prescribed a test to check your own levels. It is a protein that is naturally produced by the liver and increases when the body suffers inflammation.
If you want to understand what high C-reactive protein is, what causes it and how to reduce its levels, this article is for you. We tell you how you can find out what your C-reactive protein levels are and how to keep them in check naturally.
What is C-reactive protein
C-reactive protein (CRP) is produced in the liver. It is a so-called acute-phase reactant protein, the levels of which increase in response to inflammation in the body.
Thus, when severe inflammation occurs, C-reactive protein levels rise. The body’s defence cells, lymphocytes, are activated by infection or inflammation and secrete a protein called interleukin-6 – a cytokine – which stimulates the liver to synthesise C-reactive protein.
However, this protein does not indicate exactly what is going on in the body, it is only a warning sign. Therefore, a doctor must use other tests to determine what is causing the inflammation.
Under normal conditions, a healthy person has CRP levels below 10 milligrams per litre of blood. If the concentration exceeds this amount, it is usually an indicator of inflammation in the body.
High C-reactive protein: causes
Since this protein indicates inflammation in the body, it is important to know that it can be caused by different diseases. However, to know the exact cause, other tests must be done. Knowing the level of C-reactive protein is only an initial test that can give an indication of a person’s health status.
However, it is worth bearing in mind that in the second half of pregnancy or when taking certain birth control pills, C-reactive protein levels may be higher than normal. If you have been tested and your C-reactive protein levels are higher than normal, consult your doctor.
In addition to the above, high c-reactive protein has causes as varied as a cold, a fracture or a bacterial infection. Let us look at the causes in general terms:
- Severe trauma such as extensive burns.
- Infectious diseases: pneumonia, cystitis, bronchitis…
- Inflammatory diseases: rheumatic fever, pancreatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease…
- Heart problems. High C-reactive protein is generally associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
High C-reactive protein also has causes related to chronic diseases. For example, a doctor may order such a test to confirm diagnoses such as rheumatoid arthritis.
How to lower C-reactive protein when it is high
Now that we know about high c-reactive protein, causes and diseases that may be involved in the equation, we must assume that c-reactive protein levels will go down when the cause of the inflammation disappears. Therefore, the involvement of a doctor is necessary to determine the treatment or guidelines that the patient should follow.
However, this does not mean that we can’t work with treatment and the body to reduce inflammation. A good way to help lower C-reactive protein levels is to supplement the diet with vitamin E. Vitamin E plays an important role in defending against oxidative stress and maintaining normal immune system function. Vitamin E plays an important role in defending against oxidative stress and maintaining the normal functioning of the immune system. The latter is related to its anti-inflammatory function.
A low-fat diet is also a good strategy. As well as being linked to unfavourable changes in the body’s type and number of gut bacteria (the so-called microbiota), fats increase the processes that trigger inflammation in the body. So it may be a good idea to include foods rich in vitamin E and free of polyunsaturated fats in your diet:
- Healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado…
- Nuts such as almonds.
- Seeds such as sunflower seeds.
- Green leafy vegetables such as spinach and broccoli.
Healthy lifestyle habits also have a positive effect on the remission of inflammatory processes. That is why it is a good idea to stop smoking, give up alcoholic beverages and stay active.
Supplements that can help you
To help your body maintain adequate levels of this and other proteins and indicators, it is best to maintain the same good habits as always: a balanced diet, adequate rest, physical activity and attention to your mental and emotional state. Feeling good depends on all of these.
In addition, if you want to give your body a boost of vitamin E, we suggest taking it with organic silica, which has an anti-aging effect and improves the health of your bones and joints.
- G7 Beauty with vitamin E, capsules that also help you maintain the beauty of your skin, hair and nails.
- Silicium G5 Gel 150 ml, enriched with vitamin E and with a great capacity to penetrate very quickly through the skin. It can be very useful in the case of trauma. Also available in a 500 ml version.
- Silicium G7 Original Bio-dynamised is a way of obtaining silica in a very effective way as it is highly assimilable and chemically organic, which gives it a higher bioavailability than other forms of silica.
As you can see, healthy lifestyle habits, a balanced diet and vitamin E supplements can be a great help in dealing with high C-reactive protein and its causes. Remember that if your doctor orders a test to determine your C-reactive protein levels, they are not conclusive on their own. You may need to investigate further the reasons for elevated levels of the protein in your body.
Either way, it never hurts to give your body what benefits it and keeps it healthy. This way, you’ll be better prepared to deal with any infection or illness.
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