A c-reactive protein test checks the amount of c-reactive protein (CRP) in your blood sample. CRP is a protein produced by your liver.
What is a c-reactive (CRP) protein test?
A c-reactive protein test checks how much c-reactive protein (CRP) is in your blood. CRP is made by your liver. Normally, there’s only a little CRP in your blood. But if you have inflammation in your body, your liver releases more CRP into your blood. High levels of CRP might mean you have a serious health issue causing inflammation.
Inflammation helps your body protect and heal tissues from injuries, infections, or diseases. Sometimes, inflammation happens suddenly and goes away quickly, which is usually good. For example, if you get a cut, your skin might swell, turn red, and hurt for a bit—that’s inflammation. It can also happen inside your body.
But if inflammation lasts a long time, it can harm healthy tissues. This is called chronic inflammation. Diseases like chronic infections or certain immune system problems can cause this. Also, things like smoking or exposure to certain chemicals can lead to chronic inflammation by repeatedly irritating your tissues.
The CRP test shows if there’s inflammation and how much, but it can’t tell what’s causing it or which part of your body is affected.
Interpretation of CRP levels
Below 0.3 mg/dL: Normal (what most healthy adults have). 0.3 to 1.0 mg/dL: Also normal or just a little higher (can happen if someone is overweight, pregnant, feeling down, dealing with diabetes, having a cold, gum inflammation, severe gum disease, not being very active, smoking, or due to certain genetic differences).
CRP FAQs
Q. What happens if CRP is high?
Ans. When CRP is high, it indicates inflammation or infection in the body, possibly due to conditions like arthritis, infections, or tissue injury.
Q. What are normal CRP levels?
Ans. Normal CRP levels are typically below 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in healthy individuals.
Q. What to do if CRP is positive?
Ans. If CRP is positive or elevated, it’s essential to consult a healthcare professional for further evaluation and treatment to address the underlying cause of inflammation or infection.
Q. How do you increase CRP levels?
Ans. You don’t actively try to increase CRP levels; they rise naturally in response to inflammation or infection in the body.