My C-Reactive Protein Has Been Dropping. My Animal-Based Diet May Be the Reason

by Nils Osmar. September 18, 2023
This post is not intended as, and should not be taken as, medical advice.
See full Medical Disclaimer

High HS-CRP is associated with shorter lifespans in males.

According to an NIH study, “Higher levels of C-reactive protein and IL-6 predict reduced survival time and shorter lifespan among older men”. (The association is less clear in women.)

My HS-CRP is dropping

I was looking over my lab results from the past six months.
My HS-CRP level has been trending steadily downward since taking my first CRP test in April.
In the first test, it was 0.7 mg/L; then 0.5 mg/L; in the most recent test, the level was 0.4 mg/L. (I’m hoping to keep bringing it lower in the future.)

Why might this be happening?

During this period, I made two changes: (1) I started taking rapamycin (I’m participating in an AgelessRX study), and (2) I moved my diet in a higher-protein, more animal-based direction
I’m still eating a few plant-based foods but my meals are mostly based around animal-based foods such as grass-fed beef, salmon, sardines, anchovies, and pastured eggs.

I wondered initially if the rapamycin might be responsible, but according to the studies and summaries I’ve read, rapamycin does not lower CRP.
I have not made any other changes to my diet or supplements or exercise regimen, and am not taking any medications other than the rapamycin.
This suggests that my more animal-based diet may be reason my levels are dropping.

“But don’t studies prove plant-based is better?”

Some studies do show that C-Reactive Protein gets lower when people eat “more fruit and vegetables”.
However, this doesn’t prove that plant-based diets are the best option for lowering CRP, simply that they’re better than the “Standard American Diet” (SAD) that plant-based diets are usually compared with.
Carnivore diets, meat-based and animal-based diets are also very different from the SAD.
I eat lots of grass fed beef, salmon, sardines, anchovies, eggs and some bacon, plus some yogurt, kefir and raw milk. So I’m trending in a carnivore (or animal-based) direction.
But I also eat some plant-based foods such as onions, garlic, avocados, and some white rice, as well as some apples, berries and mushrooms. I also eat fermented foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut,
So my experience doesn’t necessarily suggest or “prove” that a strictly carnivore diet lowers CRP. It does lend credence, though, to the idea that it might, since decreasing the plants and increasing the animal-based foods in my diet is the change I’ve made. I plan on going strictly carnivore for a month some time soon, and will test again and share the results.

Not medical advice

This article is not intended as, and should not be taken as, medical advice. I’m not advising that people eat any particular diet or take any particular supplement(s), just reporting on what I’m doing. Supplements, like medications and other interventions, can have side effects; I would encourage people to research both possible benefits and side effects before starting on any supplementation regimen, and consult with a medical professional about any issues which might have a medical component. See full Medical Disclaimer

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