hs-CRP (mg/L)

Commonly used cutoffs associate hs-CRP below 1 mg/L with lower cardiovascular risk, 1–3 mg/L with average risk, and above 3 mg/L with higher risk. Values above 10 mg/L usually reflect an acute infection or injury rather than chronic inflammation and are typically retested after recovery.

They measure the same protein at different sensitivities. Standard CRP tests detect the large elevations of acute infection and inflammatory disease, while the high-sensitivity assay resolves the small chronic elevations, under 10 mg/L, that are associated with cardiovascular risk.

Almost any inflammatory stimulus: colds and other infections, dental problems, injuries, intense exercise in the preceding days, and flares of inflammatory conditions. Because of this, a single elevated result is usually repeated a few weeks later before it is treated as meaningful.

The factors most consistently associated with lower hs-CRP are losing visceral fat, regular moderate exercise, not smoking, adequate sleep, and a diet built around whole foods. Because elevated hs-CRP can also reflect an underlying condition, persistent elevation is worth investigating with your doctor rather than managing blind.