Our blood carries important clues about our overall health. That’s why blood testing is one of the most common and effective ways to monitor autoimmune diseases. If you are having regular blood tests, it’s a good habit to request and review your results yourself. Without that initiative, the results may only land on your doctor’s desk.
Getting and reading your own blood test results creates an important psychological shift: you become actively involved and take greater responsibility for your health.
For autoimmune diseases, several blood markers are especially important. The first one I look at is C-reactive protein (CRP). In remission, and in the absence of infection, CRP levels should generally be below 5 mg/L. In simple terms, CRP reflects the activity level of your immune system. Elevated CRP values indicate inflammation — or immune system activation — somewhere in the body.
Prolonged periods with CRP levels above 5 mg/L may suggest a persistently overactive immune system. Higher CRP levels are also associated with an increased risk of heart attacks. While CRP values between 5 and 10 mg/L may not immediately alarm your doctor, they can serve as an early signal for you to consider lifestyle adjustments.