Life Extension published an article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showing that there is a relationship between the inflammatory state and reduced levels of vitamins and minerals. Serum levels of these nutrients are often normal when the major stores, which are often intracellular. Measuring serum levels can be misleading because cellular stores maintain normal serum levels as long as possible and are used up long before serum levels begin falling.
When C reactive protein (CRP) is elevated there is a correlation between the height of the CRP and the extent of lowering of critical nutrients intracellularly. As CRP rose to levels of 80 (normal is less than 3), levels of vitamin A, B6, C, D, and selenium decreased. There is no doubt that levels of many other nutrients also diminish.
There are tests that can measure overall nutrient levels but they are not used in clinical practice in the hospital or even for outpatients. The Spectrocell test is a very good way to measure total body stores of these nutrients, and the test is clinically available for a reasonable cost.
