A high rate of sedimentation usually reveals inflammation in your body, and can actually explain the persistent fatigue you experience. We regularly receive questions about this blood test on Madamsport.fr from women who are trying to understand why they lack energy for their sports sessions. Here is what we have learned through our accompaniments and exchanges with health professionals:
- VS measures the rate of red blood cell drop in a tube
- It indicates possible inflammation, but does not alone diagnose a disease
- Normal values vary by age and sex
- The associated fatigue comes from the underlying inflammation, not from the VS itself
Let's dive together into the details of this blood marker to better understand your body.
What is the rate of sedimentation?
Sediment rate (VS) is a blood test that measures the speed with which your red blood cells fall to the bottom of a vertical tube placed vertically for an hour. It is also called Biernacki reaction or erythrocyte sedimentation rate.
The principle is simple: when your body has inflammation, some proteins (such as fibrinogen) accumulate in your blood and alter the properties of your red blood cells. The latter then became easier and fell faster. The faster the fall, the more inflammation is potentially important.
What is the purpose of the VS test?
We advise you to ask for this test when you feel:
- Unexplained fatigue that persists despite rest
- Chronic joint or muscle pain
- Repeated febrile episodes
- Unexplained weight loss
This test helps your doctor to direct his diagnosis to infections, chronic inflammatory diseases, autoimmune disorders or even some cancers. Caution: the VS alone never makes a definitive diagnosis. It is part of a set of complementary examinations.
What are the normal values for age and sex?
Standards vary considerably depending on your profile. We synthesized the reference values in this table:
| Profile | Normal VS (mm/h) |
| Men < 50 years | < 15 |
| Women < 50 years | < 20 |
| Men 51-85 years | < 20 |
| Women 51-85 years | < 30 |
| Men > 85 years | < 30 |
| Women > 85 | < 42 |
| Children | < 10 |
Note that during pregnancy, your VS increases naturally. It is a physiological phenomenon linked to hormonal changes and hemodiltion.
What are the symptoms associated with high VS?
A high VS rarely comes with symptoms of its own. It is the underlying pathologies that cause clinical signs. You might feel:
- Persistent and handicaping fatigue on a daily basis
- Joint or muscle pain
- Recurrent fever
- Loss of appetite
- Involuntary weight loss
- Night sweats
Why can sedimentation speed increase?
Several factors explain an increase in VS. In our coaching practice, we often meet athletes with moderately high VS (between 40 and 100 mm/h) related to:
- Bacterial, viral or parasitic infections
- Chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis
- Obesity
- High cholesterol or triglycerides
- Heart failure
- Nephrotic syndrome
When are we talking about very high VS?
A VS greater than 100 mm/h requires immediate medical attention. It can report serious pathologies such as:
- Severe anaemia
- Renal failure
- Multiple myeloma
- Hodgkin's lymphoma
- Macroglobulinaemia
- Solid tumours
If your VS exceeds 100 mm/h while your CRP remains normal, your doctor will probably look for multiple myeloma or other haemopathy.
What are the links between high sedimentation speed and fatigue?
The question you ask us most often: why am I so tired with a high VS?
The VS itself does not cause your fatigue directly. It is inflammation or the underlying disease that exhausts your body. Your body mobilizes a lot of energy to fight inflammation, which explains this feeling of permanent exhaustion, even after a full night of sleep.
Autoimmune diseases, chronic infections or myeloma are particularly associated with disabling fatigue. We strongly recommend that you consult to identify the specific cause.
VS and CRP: two complementary markers
Both VS and reactive C protein (CRP) measure inflammation, but differently:
The VS:
- Slow reaction (several days)
- Less specific
- Useful for monitoring long-term evolution
The CRP:
- Quick reaction (a few hours)
- More accurate to detect recent inflammation
- Normalizes quickly after treatment
Your doctor often prescribes these two tests together to refine his diagnosis.
What does a low VS mean?
Low VS is less common but may indicate:
- Polyglobulia (excess red blood cells)
- Abnormal red blood cell shape, such as sickle cell disease
- Liver impairment
- Hyperleucocytosis (excess of white blood cells)
- Fibrigenic deficiency
- Hypogammaglobulinaemia (antibodies deficiency)
Some anti-inflammatory treatments (NSAIDs, corticosteroids) may also lower your VS.
Should we worry about a high VS without other symptoms?
A slightly elevated VS without symptom deserves surveillance but not necessarily worry. Several physiological factors naturally influence:
- Your advanced age
- Your sex (women have higher values)
- Some medicines such as birth control pills or heparin
We advise you simply to repeat the test a few weeks later to check the evolution.
What diseases can reveal a high VS?
The list is long. The VS can direct to:
- Rheumatic diseases (polyarthritis, Horton arteritis)
- Chronic infections
- Blood or solid cancers
- Autoimmune diseases
- Nephropathy
Some pathologies never cause elevation: Vaquez's disease, some specific cancers, hypogammaglobulinemia or cryoglobulinemia.
How to interpret the results of the VS?
Never engage in self-interpretation. The VS is an old test, inexpensive, but not specific. Your doctor will put her in perspective with:
- Your complete hemogram
- Your CRP
- Your clinical symptoms
- Possible further examination
The VS remains particularly useful for following the evolution of inflammation over time, especially for pathologies such as Horton's arteritis.
When to consult a doctor?
Make an appointment quickly if:
- Your VS exceeds 100 mm/h
- You've been feeling tired for several weeks
- You have unexplained fever
- You lose weight for no reason
- You suffer from persistent joint pain
At Madamsport.fr, we always encourage our readers to listen to their bodies. A high VS is just a warning signal: it is your doctor who will identify the cause and offer you a suitable treatment to regain your energy and resume your sports activities in the best conditions.
