CRP (C-reactive protein)
A protein produced by the liver in response to inflammation, measured in the blood as an inflammatory marker, whose high-sensitivity version is used to assess cardiovascular risk.
CRP, or C-reactive protein, is made by the liver when inflammation develops. Its blood concentration rises quickly, within six to eight hours, and falls just as fast once the cause has gone, which makes it a responsive and widely used marker.
It says nothing about the cause: a raised CRP signals inflammation without indicating its origin, whether infection, injury, autoimmune disease or cancer. It is always interpreted in light of the clinical context and the rest of the tests.
Two tests that share the same name need to be told apart. This is the most common source of confusion: standard CRP is used to detect acute inflammation, whereas high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) measures much lower values and is used to assess chronic low-grade inflammation, which is associated with cardiovascular risk.
It is this second version that interests nutrition. The dietary factors associated with a lower hs-CRP are the ones found everywhere else: a diet rich in plant foods and fibre, omega-3, regular physical activity, and a reduction in visceral fat. Conversely, smoking, abdominal excess weight and an ultra-processed diet raise it.