> Across three studies involving more than 1,800 participants, the findings — published in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity — indicate that increased levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), which the liver makes in response to inflammation in the body, can promote social media use among middle-aged adults and college students.
The overall level of inflammation is commonly determined by measuring the level of C-reactive protein in blood (it rises as a result of inflammation). It's commonly measured in blood tests.
There's a natural role for inflammation in the body, but it's also possible to have too much inflammation and experience negative outcomes as a result. A lot of recent research has been about the effects of inflammation signalling throughout the body, and much of the interest in antioxidants is because they may serve to reduce oxidative stress (which damages cells and also comes about as a result of inflammation).
"Chronic low-grade inflammatory process, on the other hand, plays a central role in the pathogenesis of a number of chronic diseases." - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4736408/