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The Top 5 Blood Tests For Inflammation
By Dr. David Jockers

5 Tests for Inflamma on Chronically elevated blood sugar reacts with enzymes and other protein mole-
With most health issues it can be extremely helpful to test and retest inflammato- cules to create Advanced Glycoly c End Products (AGEs) (3). AGEs are highly
ry markers periodically when a emp ng to overcome a health challenge. This will inflammatory and damage ssue throughout the body. The result
allow for detec on of specific target points and will make progress easier to track is neurological and cardiovascular complica ons which are common with diabe-
moving forward. tes.
I find that having these markers recorded at the beginning of a health plan gener- C-Reac ve Protein (CRP)
ally improves the outcomes by providing quan fiable data points that can be The C-Reac ve Protein (CRP) test is a blood test marker used to assess levels of
monitored throughout the process. inflamma on in the body. CRP is a protein produced in the liver. It is an acute
phase reactant, which means it increases or decreases in concentra on with
Fas ng Insulin inflamma on or trauma.
The fas ng insulin level test is a valuable test for detec ng levels of inflamma on.
Insulin is a hormone that is produced and stored in the pancreas. Insulin helps The best measurement to detect CRP is the high-sensi vity CRP (hs-CRP) test. This
transport glucose from the blood to cells. When the body recognizes that blood is o en used for cardiovascular risk assessment since high-sensi vity CRP has
sugar is eleva ng, the pancreas releases insulin. been linked to heart disease and mortality (4).
Our bodies need some circula ng insulin at all mes. However, high or low insulin CRP is also useful in diagnosing and monitoring chronic inflammatory condi ons
levels can be problema c. A high insulin level is a sign of insulin resistance such as inflammatory bowel disease, arthri s, autoimmune diseases, and psycho-
or diabetes. The associa on of obesity, insulin resistance, and chronic low-grade logical issues (5). Measuring CRP gives the inflammatory status of the body and is
inflamma on has been evident for years. All are related to aging as well (2). cri cal for diagnosing and monitoring many chronic health condi ons.
Insulin resistance is the decreased ability to respond to the effects of insulin. As a Serum Ferri n
result, the body produces addi onal amounts of insulin which increases inflam- The ferri n test is a simple blood test that measures the level of ferri n in the
matory processes within the body. body. Ferri n is a blood cell protein that stores iron. Low levels of ferri n indicate
iron deficiency which causes anemia, a reduc on in the number of red blood
Over me, surges of insulin can cause chronic health complica ons. Health condi- cells.
ons associated with insulin resistance include type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular
disease, obesity, and high blood pressure. Like CRP, ferri n is an acute phase reactant. This makes a ferri n test useful in
detec ng a chronic disease process. Elevated levels of ferri n can indicate inflam-
High fas ng insulin can also indicate metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is ma on, liver disease, chronic infec on, autoimmune disorders, and some types of
a set of risk factors that increases a person’s chance of developing serious condi- cancer (6).
ons such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. These risk fac-
tors include: insulin resistance, abdominal obesity, unhealthy lipid levels, and high Red Blood Cell Width (RDW)
blood pressure. It is es mated that 34% of Americans have metabolic syndrome. Red Cell Distribu on Width (RDW) is an excellent test to detect inflamma on in
the body. A 2011 study found that RDW is a “robust predictor” of the risk of mor-
Hemoglobin A1c tality from all causes and bloodstream inflec on (7). RDW reflects overall inflam-
Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) gives the average amount of glucose in the blood, ma on and oxida ve stress.
or blood sugar, over the past 3 months. It is one of the top tests for determining
whether a person has inflamma on. RDW is an expression of the varia on in size of the red blood cells that make up
the total popula on of red blood cells in an individual. The size of the blood ves-
Hemoglobin A1c (or glycated hemoglobin) is formed in the blood when glucose sel has a lot to do with the matura on of the blood cells and this is dependent
a aches to hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. The upon methyla ng agents such folate and B12.
higher the level of glucose in the blood, the more glycated hemoglobin is formed.
Red blood cells begin their life cycle very large but as they mature in the bone
Red blood cells are constantly forming and dying, but typically they live for about marrow, the overall width is reduced to a more op mal size to deliver oxygen and
3 months. Thus, the A1C test reflects the average of a person’s blood glucose nutrients to the cells. Elevated RDW is associated with mul ple diseases. RDW is
levels over the past three months. The test is reported as a percentage. The high- a widely available, inexpensive test that is included in the complete blood count
er the percentage, the higher a person’s blood glucose levels have been. panel.
The HbA1c test can screen for diabetes and prediabetes. It is also used to monitor
the glucose control of diabe cs over me. Chronically elevated glucose levels as
reflected by a high HbA1c, can damage the body’s organs and nerves.

Dr. David Jockers is a Maximized Living doctor, corrective care chiropractor, nutritionist, exercise physiologist, and certified strength and conditioning
specialist. He currently owns and operates Exodus Health Center in Kennesaw, Georgia. He is also the host of “SuperCharge Your Health” on Atlanta’s
FaithTalk 970AM every Saturday at 2:30pm.
His experience working with thousands of individuals has given him a level of expertise in the field. He is a member of the Performance Enhancement
Team for the Maximized Living Wellness Advisory Council where had the privilege of traveling to London to help the USA athletes win the gold in 2012.
He is a leading writer for “NaturalNews,” GreenMedInfo,” “NaturalHealth 365,” “DrAxe.com” and “PrimalDocs” and “Organic Lifestyle Magazine” which are
six of the top online health publications in the world.
He is also the author of the best-selling book “SuperCharge Your Brain” the complete guide to radically improve your mood, memory and mindset. Dr.
Jockers is a sought after speaker around the country on such topics as weight loss, brain health, functional exercise, natural detoxification, and disease
prevention.
LIVING Day By Day •Net Apr  May  Jun 2018 | 19