GlycA: Another Glimpse at Your Health Status

A case in point
Last week, a patient handed me a piece of paper listing the blood tests she wanted to have done “preventatively.” Among the CBC, TSH, ferritin, and other routine tests, I noticed hs-CRP. Despite my warning that this test has relatively low specificity and can be elevated for many reasons, she was adamant that she wanted it – to find out how much “inflammation” was in her body.

I didn’t argue further. I ordered the test.

Then I decided to write this blog.

Background
Most routine bloodwork – glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, and other standard markers – gives you a snapshot of what’s happening in your body today.

GlycA offers a different perspective. It is a blood biomarker of chronic, low-grade inflammation affecting your metabolic and cardiovascular health.

What does GlycA signify?
Elevated GlycA levels have been associated with:

• Cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke

• Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance

• Metabolic syndrome and obesity

• Atherosclerosis

• Higher risk of all-cause mortality

What is the test?
GlycA is measured using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Testing may be available through major laboratory providers such as Quest Diagnostics and Labcorp.

No fasting is required.

What does GlycA measure?
GlycA measures the amount of certain sugar molecule (N-acetyl glucosamine) attached to inflammatory (“acute-phase”) proteins, such as haptoglobin and alpha-1-acid glycoprotein.

When inflammation is present, the liver produces more of these proteins, and GlycA levels tend to rise. In other words, it provides a broader signal of systemic inflammation.

What is normal?
There isn't a single universal cutoff that defines "normal" for every person or laboratory. In many clinical settings, values below 400 µmol/L are considered desirable.

GlycA vs. hs-CRP: What's the difference?
hs-CRP is an excellent marker of inflammation, but it can change substantially in response to an acute event. A recent infection, injury, or other inflammatory process can temporarily send CRP soaring.

GlycA tends to be less sensitive to short-term inflammatory fluctuations and may provide a more stable picture of chronic, low-grade inflammation.

Think of it this way:

hs-CRP can catch the flare-up. GlycA can help reveal the slow burn.

That makes GlycA potentially useful when you're trying to understand inflammation and metabolic risk over a longer period rather than focusing on what happened in the last few days.

When I check GlycA
Research has linked elevated GlycA with cardiometabolic risk, including cardiovascular events, type 2 diabetes, and all-cause mortality.

I find it particularly useful when evaluating people with obesity, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, or other signs of metabolic dysfunction, especially when the standard laboratory picture doesn't tell the whole story.

GlycA does not replace conventional testing. Rather, it can add another dimension to the picture.

Should you get tested?
Not necessarily.

GlycA isn't a diagnostic test by itself, and I don't order it for everyone. Its value comes from looking at the whole clinical picture: your medical history, symptoms, blood pressure, glucose and lipid measurements, body composition, lifestyle, and other laboratory findings.

Sometimes one additional piece of information can help connect the dots. Other times, it simply isn’t necessary.

For example, if your fasting glucose is 243, LDL-C is 173, and total testosterone is 233, adding GlycA is unlikely to provide much additional useful information. With or without GlycA, the priorities are clear: treat the diabetes (low-car diet + meds), aggressively lower LDL cholesterol (statin + Zetia), lose weight (GLP-1), and raise testosterone (TRT).

Fix the obvious first. Then worry about GlycA.

The bottom line
GlycA is a promising tool for looking at chronic, low-grade inflammation and cardiometabolic risk from a different angle.

The test requires a simple blood draw and generally does not require fasting.

Can I call you?
If you're interested in finding out whether GlycA testing makes sense for you, ask your healthcare provider or contact Remedicus. I personally answer all phone calls. The first consultation is always FREE.

Written by Dr. Elias Lu

• GlycA is an advanced blood biomarker that is used to assess the risk of cardiovascular disease (heart attack, stroke), diabetes, and all-cause mortality.

• Elevated GlycA levels correlate well with metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, higher BMI, and atherosclerosis.