Inflammaging is the peer-reviewed framing for chronic, low-grade inflammation that accompanies biological aging and accelerates it (Franceschi, 2000). It doesn't cause symptoms you can feel in the way acute inflammation does. It runs silently and progressively degrades tissue function — including skin.
The simplest way to detect it is a blood test called high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). CRP is a protein your liver produces in response to inflammatory signals. The high-sensitivity version is calibrated to detect the small, chronic elevations that matter for aging biology, not the large elevations of acute infection.
Interpretation:
- Below 1.0 mg/L — inflammation low; inflammaging load minimal.
- 1.0 to 3.0 mg/L — mildly to moderately elevated; typical of low-grade chronic inflammation. This is where the inflammaging discussion actually lives.
- Above 3.0 mg/L — elevated; associated with cardiovascular risk and accelerated aging (Ridker, 2003).
Not every elevation is inflammaging. Acute infections, recent surgery or injury, and obesity all raise hs-CRP acutely. If you're testing for chronic inflammation, avoid testing within 4-6 weeks of an infection or acute illness.
Interventions with evidence for lowering hs-CRP: omega-3 supplementation, consistent sleep, resistance training, whole-food anti-inflammatory eating patterns, and stress management.
hs-CRP is one of the nine biomarkers on the JenSkin panel — because it's one of the few actionable numbers for measuring your inflammaging load.