CRP, in full C-reactive protein, is a protein that the liver makes and releases into the bloodstream, and that according to the NVKC rises sharply within 6 to 8 hours in an inflammation. Even without inflammation, a small amount is in the blood: the baseline CRP.
According to a 2003 review, a higher BMI goes together with a higher baseline CRP. According to the NVKC, CRP can rise by a factor of 1000 in an inflammation. A blood test is the only way to see how high CRP is.
Unilabs gives 0 to 5 mg/l as the reference values for CRP.
Doctor's Assessment Included
CRP is a protein made by the liver that rises sharply in the blood within 6 to 8 hours of the start of an inflammation. The upper limit differs by laboratory: 5 mg/l at Unilabs and Certe, 6 at Diagnostiek voor U and 10 at Star-SHL.
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Reference ranges may vary between laboratories. When you order a test, a BIG-registered doctor assesses your personal results in context. For treatment decisions, discuss your results with your GP.
Check your own valueThe upper limit runs from 5 mg/l at Unilabs to 10 mg/l at Star-shl.
| Laboratory | Group | Reference value (mg/l) | Relative scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star-shl | · Everyone | 0–10 mg/l |
0 10
|
| Unilabs | · Everyone | 0–5 mg/l |
0 5
|
| Certe | · Everyone · 18 years and older · a limit, not a range | < 5 mg/L |
5
|
| Diagnostiek voor U | · Everyone · a limit, not a range | < 6 mg/L |
6
|
Source: Star-shl
Source: Unilabs
Source: Certe
Source: Diagnostiek voor U
Each value as the laboratory itself publishes it, retrieved in 2026.
The CRP test measures C-reactive protein in the blood in mg/l, and according to the NVKC only the more sensitive hs-CRP test measures the very small amounts the body makes over a long time in cardiovascular disease.
According to a 2003 review, a raised baseline CRP is associated with many features of insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome, up to and including diabetes.
Been ill? Wait a little
RequiredHad a fever, an infection or a vaccination in the past 2 weeks? Wait with the draw until you are fully recovered. These values react to inflammation and would give a distorted picture.
Better no hard training beforehand
RecommendedHard exercise in the 48 hours before can raise this value temporarily. Plan the draw on a rest day if you can.
According to the NVKC, a CRP test is used among other things to find out whether there may be inflammation, for example in the abdomen.
According to a 2003 review, a lower baseline CRP goes together with physical exercise, and Unilabs gives a lower limit of 0 mg/l for CRP.
According to the NVKC, an acute inflammation is one possible explanation for a raised CRP, and according to a 2018 review some bacterial infections can raise CRP up to 1,000-fold.
Liver failure
The liver makes CRP, and in liver failure less CRP is produced.
Statins
Statins, cholesterol-lowering medicines, lower CRP, separately from their effect on cholesterol.
Infection or acute inflammation
A raised or rising CRP can point to acute inflammation or infection.
Dead tissue
Dead tissue is a strong trigger for CRP; a heart attack is followed by a large CRP response.
Chronic inflammatory disease
In some people with a chronic inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, CRP stays raised; lupus (SLE), an autoimmune disease, does not cause a large CRP rise despite clear inflammation.
Overweight
A higher BMI goes with a higher baseline CRP, the CRP value without inflammation, and weight loss lowers it.
The pill and hormone tablets
The contraceptive pill and hormone therapy taken as tablets after menopause go with a higher CRP without inflammation; hormone therapy through the skin does not.
With a higher BMI, which according to a 2003 review goes together with a higher baseline CRP, weight loss lowers the CRP value according to that review. Talk to your GP about a raised CRP.
No, according to a 2003 review, CRP values in an acute inflammatory response do not depend on eating and show no variation over the day.
Articles that explain this value in context.
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Dr. Naimi oversees the medical standards behind our content and assessments.
Medical policyDoctor's Assessment Included
Every result includes a professional assessment from a BIG-registered doctor. For treatment decisions, discuss your results with your GP.
CRP (C-Reactive Protein)
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