Anger, Hostility And Depression Linked To Higher C-RP Levels

Otherwise healthy people who are prone to anger, hostility and depressive symptoms tend to have higher levels of a substance that’s been linked to heart disease and stroke. C-reactive protein (CRP) is produced by the body in response to inflammation and elevated levels have already been associated with heart problems. A team at Duke University is now the first to link psychological attributes to elevated CRP. A group of 121 healthy men and women completed personality questionnaires which revealed whether they had attributes like depression, hostility and anger. None of the volunteers had any of the classical heart disease risk factors like smoking, high blood pressure or diabetes.
Those who were prone to anger, hostility and depression had levels of CRP two to three times higher than those who were of a calmer disposition. The more pronounced their symptoms, the higher their CRP levels. The findings go some way to explaining the psychological element in heart disease – clearly physical risk factors are not the only ones to consider. Psychosomatic Medicine September 2004

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FACT:
An eight-year study of 13,000 people found that those who walked 30 minutes a day had a significantly lower risk of premature death than those who rarely exercised.