The Inflammation Panel
Silent inflammation is the aging accelerator
Chronic low-grade inflammation ("inflammaging") is an upstream driver of cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration, cancer, and frailty. You can measure it with three cheap blood tests: hsCRP, homocysteine, and fibrinogen. Almost nobody orders all three.
hsCRP — the cardiovascular residual
High-sensitivity CRP is the best single inflammation marker for cardiovascular risk. Target: under 1 mg/L. 1–3 is moderate concern. Over 3 consistently suggests chronic inflammation worth investigating — periodontal disease, obesity, poor sleep, subclinical infection, autoimmunity.
Homocysteine — the methylation + dementia signal
Homocysteine is an amino-acid intermediate that accumulates when methylation (the B12/folate pathway) underperforms. Elevated (>10 μmol/L) predicts cardiovascular events AND correlates with dementia risk. Usually fixable with B12 + methylfolate + B6.
Fibrinogen — clotting + chronic inflammation
Fibrinogen is both a clotting protein and an acute-phase reactant. Elevated (>400 mg/dL) predicts both cardiovascular events and progression of subclinical atherosclerosis. Often reverts with exercise + smoking cessation + weight loss — responsive to the same lifestyle levers as hsCRP.
Which lifestyle changes lower ALL THREE?
Select every lever that independently reduces hsCRP, homocysteine, AND fibrinogen.
This step is interactive — open the Thier app to try it.
Key Takeaway
Three cheap tests — hsCRP + homocysteine + fibrinogen — give you a complete inflammation snapshot. They respond quickly (3–6 months) to lifestyle + targeted supplementation. High values caught early reverse easily; caught late, they're already causing damage.