Cognitive load & stress
Also known as High-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Measured in mg/L.
hs-CRP is a high-sensitivity measurement of C-reactive protein, a substance the liver releases in response to inflammation. The standard CRP test is designed to detect the large rises that accompany infection; the high-sensitivity version resolves the much smaller differences that distinguish a person with quiet, low-grade, chronic inflammation from one without. That low-grade signal is the clinically interesting one, because it tracks with cardiovascular risk, insulin resistance, visceral fat and poor sleep, and it does so in people who feel entirely well. hs-CRP is non-specific by design: it tells you inflammation is present without saying where it comes from. Its value lies in combination — a raised hs-CRP alongside a high ApoB describes a substantially different risk picture from either finding alone.
hs-CRP resolves the low end of the CRP range, which is where cardiovascular risk stratification happens.
A value above 10 mg/L usually reflects acute infection rather than chronic inflammation and should be repeated after recovery.
Its value is combinatorial: raised hs-CRP alongside high ApoB describes substantially greater risk than either alone.
Persistently raised hs-CRP indicates ongoing low-grade inflammation and is associated with higher cardiovascular risk. Common contributors include visceral fat, poor sleep, smoking, periodontal disease and untreated metabolic dysfunction. A value above 10 mg/L usually reflects an acute process such as infection or injury rather than chronic inflammation, and should be repeated once well.
A low hs-CRP is favourable and suggests little systemic inflammatory burden. It does not exclude localised disease, and it should not be read as reassurance about cardiovascular risk on its own — a low hs-CRP alongside a high ApoB still describes meaningful risk.
| Band | Value |
|---|---|
| Low cardiovascular risk | < 1.0 mg/L |
| Average risk | 1.0 – 3.0 mg/L |
| High risk | > 3.0 mg/L |
| Likely acute inflammation | > 10 mg/LRepeat after recovery rather than interpreting as chronic |
Laboratory intervals vary. Interpret with a physician.
Population studies have repeatedly found higher average hs-CRP in South Asian cohorts than in European-ancestry groups at equivalent body weight, consistent with the wider pattern of earlier cardiovascular disease. Against a national backdrop where 28.1% of all deaths are cardiovascular, a marker that refines risk in apparently well people is disproportionately useful.
ApoB, or apolipoprotein B, is a protein that sits on the surface of every cholesterol particle capable of lodging in an artery wall.
HOMA-IR is a calculated index that combines fasting glucose and fasting insulin into a single number describing how resistant the body has become to its own insulin.
Ferritin is the protein the body uses to store iron, and the amount circulating in blood is proportional to how much iron is held in reserve.
Homocysteine is an amino acid produced continuously as the body processes methionine from dietary protein.
A single high hs-CRP is usually explained by a recent infection and is best repeated a few weeks later. A persistently raised value with no obvious cause should be reviewed by a physician alongside the rest of the panel. Fever, unexplained weight loss or night sweats need prompt assessment regardless.
The same protein, measured with different sensitivity. Standard CRP is used to detect and monitor infection and flare-ups of inflammatory disease. hs-CRP resolves the low end of the range, which is where cardiovascular risk stratification happens. For preventive work, hs-CRP is the one that matters.
Better to wait. An acute infection can raise hs-CRP many-fold and the result will describe the infection rather than your baseline. Two to three weeks after full recovery gives an interpretable number.
Often, yes. Losing visceral fat, treating sleep apnoea, stopping smoking, improving dental health and correcting insulin resistance all reduce it. Because it also responds to transient illness, judge the trend across repeated measurements rather than any single result.
The programme
Peak Brain draws a full blood and urine panel at your home, has a licensed physician read every marker together rather than one at a time, and turns what they find into a ranked 90-day protocol with a retest at the end.
Authorship & review
Written by the Peak Brain clinical team. Assigned clinical reviewer: Dr. Alfia Kaki, MD, PGC — review pending; this page has not yet been signed off.
Published . Last updated .
This page is general health information, not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Reference ranges vary between laboratories. Never delay or disregard advice from a qualified health professional because of something you read here. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your local emergency number.