About five months ago, when I had a physical exam, most everything seemed to come out well…except for one test that suggested something might be amiss. It was a test I hadn’t had, or even heard of, before–something known as a c-reactive protein (CRP) test.
This is a test, my doctor explained, that tests for “inflammation” usually associated with heart problems. I didn’t like the idea of “inflammation,” since it seems to be behind so many chronic diseases.
A normal reading, according to the printup of my tests, was less than 1 mg/L. My reading was 5. The chart showing my reading indicated that a reading of over 10 was cause for alarm. But what about a reading between 1 and 10?
My doctor didn’t seem very concerned. She suggested I come back for another test in six months, but didn’t offer any suggestions as to what I might do to counter the reading. Or if I should do anything.
When I went online, several sites suggested that any reading over more than 3 put me at “highest risk.”
Risk for what? Well, there the experts seem uncertain. An article on WebMD cited a study that suggested the CRP reading was more predictive of heart problems than cholesterol readings. There are also connections to macular degeneration and colon cancer.
I had a check-in with a nutritionist in I’ve previously consulted with, in early March, and she said she didn’t care for the reading. She recommended a combination of enzymes, along with CoQ-10. She told me to take the supplements for two months, and have the test again. (The WebMD article suggests taking aspirin and/or statins.)
I just had the test, and lo and behold, the reading was 0.2. It seems like quite a dramatic change. Now I wonder, was either the first test, or this test, improperly measured? Or was I missing certain nutrients from my diet that the enzymes and CoQ10 suddenly provided? Is the test really all that significant?
In that same WebMD article, I see there is something called an ultra-sensitive CRP, which provides even more insights into potential heart problems.
I guess I’m happy that my number improved. I’m also glad that statins never became an issue. It just seems that making sense out of these supposedly ever-more-sophisticated tests is difficult to do–for professionals and patients. I can’t wait for genetic testing.
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