Inflammation marker craziness with Ferritin levels and CRP levels up while iron levels low

(Kimberly Lee) #1

Hello! I have a question about some of my recent labs. I took them in a 52 hour fasted state. They actually were amazing, and I improved my A1C from 5.3 to 4.8. My real question is around my CRP number, which I can not seem to get to go down. I do know when I went in my lower back arthritis was on fire, so I don’t know if that is it. My other question is around my ferritin and iron. All of these are inflammation markers.

I have done keto and IF since March 1, and took lab work from both points (beginning and recent). My CRP and ferritin both went up while iron went down. Of course my first numbers from March 2018 were just a typical overnight fast.

3/2018 Iron 138
Ferritin 69
CRP 4.2
Glucose 70
Insulin 6

6/2018 Iron 55
Ferritin 124
CRP 5.6
Glucose 68
Insulin 3

Can being in a fasted and fat burning state cause these numbers to go up? My doctor has me on turmeric, green tea supplements, and rosemary to help with the inflammation. My nutritionist thinks it’s my gut health that is causing it to rise and is putting me on a pre-pro biotic regimen for two weeks. Both are very much on board with my keto and IF.

I am just worried about these inflammation numbers, not knowing if it is AR, or gut or just normal because of fasting? I know I saw Dr. Phinney talk about reducing CRP through fasting and was really hoping to see that number go down when I went in for the work.

Thanks for the advice in advance. I do have all sorts of numbers if needing any additional info. The lab work came from True Health Diagnostics Labs and it’s pretty comprehensive.

Kimberly

(Tom Seest) #2

Lower back arthritis can absolutely cause CRP to go up. Right now, mine is elevated at just over 3, when it’s normally well below 1. In my case, it’s elevated (I hope) by a bruise tendon on my left heel. It’s down from over 4 just a month a go, when the heel was really hurting. Of course, this is purely N=1, but I watch the number closely.

Regarding inflammation and fasting, my experience tells me that I have to fast for at least 5 days before the inflammation goes up. In fact, it seems to go up during the first 3 to 5 days of a fast. It doesn’t even have to be a pure water fast after the first 5 days. I’ve tried this with both CRP and BNP which is a heart hormone. This is purely N=1 and wouldn’t be something Dr. Phinney would discuss as he seems anti-extended fasting.

Here are two links too examples of my data from fasts that contain markers of inflammation. The la work results are tracked in columns to the the far right:

https://1drv.ms/x/s!AnnheiLCcfWxgZI22sYKyayOMo3oOQ

In this second example, I actually was recovering from heart failure so I was closely monitoring the markers BNP and CRP. The CRP number didn’t vary much, but the BNP number really diminished nicely and went back into normal range. BNP is a key measurement for people with heart failure. In my case, it went into the range of a normal person, while I still had heart failure.

https://1drv.ms/x/s!AnnheiLCcfWxgcE0qf2dNsbEiD0ysQ

Individual results may vary, of course…