Concept
Inflammaging (Concept)
Last updated Sat May 30 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
What it is (concept page)
A practical/clinical-application page complementing the inflammaging theory page.
Adults can quantify inflammaging through routine biomarkers:
- hsCRP: <1 mg/L optimal; >3 = high.
- IL-6: research-grade test; >5 pg/mL elevated.
- GlycA: NMR-based; more stable than hsCRP.
- Frailty index: integrates many domains.
Why it matters operationally
If you can lower these markers, you reduce risk of:
- Cardiovascular events (CANTOS / canakinumab evidence).
- Cancer recurrence.
- Cognitive decline.
- Frailty incidence.
- Sarcopenia progression.
Lifestyle levers (high impact)
- Aerobic + resistance exercise.
- Weight loss (especially visceral fat).
- Mediterranean diet, particularly EVOO, nuts, fatty fish.
- Sleep adequacy (chronic short sleep raises IL-6).
- Smoking cessation.
- Alcohol moderation.
Pharmacological levers
- Statins (modest hsCRP reduction).
- GLP-1 agonists.
- Low-dose colchicine (LoDoCo2 evidence in ASCVD).
- Canakinumab (CANTOS, but cost/infection profile).
- SGLT2 inhibitors.
Tracking
Quarterly hsCRP plus annual full lipid + GlycA panel gives you a trajectory. Lower trend over years is the goal.
Related entries
Inflammaging (theory), hsCRP, Exercise, Low-dose colchicine.
References
- Furman, D. et al. Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the life span. Nat. Med. 25, 1822–1832 (2019).