What elevated Calprotectin means, and how to lower it
Calprotectin is a neutrophil-derived protein that directly indicates intestinal inflammation.
What is Calprotectin?
Calprotectin is a protein released by neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) when they migrate into the gut wall to fight inflammation. Because the only way calprotectin gets into your stool is via active inflammation, it is one of the few stool markers that directly and quantitatively measures intestinal inflammation. Gastroenterologists use it routinely to distinguish inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's, ulcerative colitis) from non-inflammatory IBS, and to monitor disease activity in IBD patients without repeat colonoscopy. Reference ranges vary by lab but generally: under 50 µg/g is normal, 50 to 120 is borderline, over 120 is significantly elevated and warrants gastroenterology evaluation. Calprotectin can also rise transiently from NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen), GI infections, and food allergies. That is why a single elevated value should be retested. Persistently elevated calprotectin is one of the few stool-test findings that absolutely requires medical follow-up.
What does elevated Calprotectin indicate?
Calprotectin is a neutrophil-derived protein that directly indicates intestinal inflammation. Elevated levels correlate with active mucosal inflammation. The protocol prioritizes anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids from whole food sources with curcumin combinations that enhance bioavailability by up to 2000%.
Symptoms commonly reported
- chronic diarrhea
- blood or mucus in stool
- abdominal pain
- unintended weight loss
- urgency
- night-time bowel movements
- fatigue
- joint pain
Not everyone with this finding has every symptom. Many people have several without realizing they share a root cause.
Reference ranges
A value just over the threshold is usually less urgent than a value many times outside the range. Trend across retests matters more than a single number.
The 6-week protocol for elevated Calprotectin
A phased plan with 11 food prescriptions across three phases. Below is the first phase preview. Upload your lab to unlock the full protocol with exact quantities, frequencies, and conflict-resolved sequencing.
- Wild-caught salmon See your personalized dose
- Turmeric paste (golden paste) See your personalized dose
Unlock your full personalized protocol
Most people have 4 to 7 abnormal markers on a single test. Upload your PDF and we'll build the 6-week protocol that handles all of them in the right order, with conflicts resolved and a grocery list ready to send to Instacart or Kroger.
Upload my lab PDFWhich tests measure Calprotectin?
- GI-MAP (Diagnostic Solutions)
- Genova GI-Effects
- Doctor's Data GI360
Different labs use different methodologies (qPCR, 16S sequencing, shotgun metagenomics), so absolute numbers may not be directly comparable across tests. We accept GI-MAP, Genova GI-Effects, and Biomesight PDF uploads today.
