Is this test result cause for concern?

Q: At my recent physical, my blood work showed higher than normal levels of CRP, which my doctor said may indicate a risk for cardiovascular disease. He wants to test me again, but I’m worried. Is there anything I can do?

A: Try not to be alarmed! Retesting is the first thing I do when my patients have high levels of CRP, which stands for C-reactive protein. CRP is produced by the liver in response to any type of internal inflammation, so high levels can point to many different causes—from temporary upticks due to a virus or even gingivitis, to more serious inflammation linked to heart disease. In fact, a new study from the University of California at San Francisco has shown skin can play a role—and doing something as simple as moisturizing daily can lower the inflammation that raises CRP levels.

Here’s why: As we age, skin loses moisture and firming collagen, leading to tiny cracks that trigger inflammation. Even though each of these cracks creates a small amount of inflammation, the skin is such a large organ that all of the cracks combined can flood the body with CRP—a process doctors sometimes call “inflammaging.”

But these researchers found that study participants who applied moisturizer all over their bodies twice daily for 30 days significantly reduced this inflammation, so it’s worth giving the strategy a try to see if it lowers your CRP—especially if you have no other clear risks for heart disease, such as elevated cholesterol or diabetes. The product used in the study: Atopalm Intensive Moisturizing Cream (available at Walmart.com). If your CRP levels are still high in your second test, your doctor will discuss other options, including whether it’s advisable to take a statin to reduce any heart risk associated with inflammation.