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Boosting blood platelet count
I donate blood platelets on a monthly basis and wonder if there is anything I should be doing to boost my platelet count, which can vary quite a bit from month to month.
Platelets (or thrombocytes) are cell-like particles that are smaller than the red or white blood cells and as part of the blood’s protective mechanism for stopping bleeding, they gather at a bleeding site where they become activated for clotting.
Once activated, they become “sticky” and clump together to form a plug that helps seal the blood vessel to stop bleeding. At the same time, they release substances that help promote the clotting mechanism.
The blood usually contains about 150,000 to 350,000 platelets per microlitre and although a drop to a count of 30,000 can cause abnormal bleeding, a deficiency – known as thrombocytopenia – is not usually apparent until the count falls to 10,000.
Since your count remains within the healthy range, which means we are not addressing a serious medical problem here, you can consider using two nutrients to support the blood, including its platelet production and activity.
The first, vitamin B12 or cobalamin, is so important to healthy blood it is often known as “the red vitamin.” Red meat eaters are rarely deficient in this nutrient but it can, over time, become lacking in vegetarians. It plays a key role in the formation and regeneration of blood and its component parts and you can take it in single supplement form. Solgar’s B12 provides a high but safe dose of 1,000 mcg (micrograms) per capsule. Take one a day.
You could also supplement your diet with extra copper, which the body uses to convert iron to haemoglobin; the molecule that transports oxygen around the body in the blood. Eating more whole grains and fresh leafy vegetables will increase your copper intake. If you plan to take a supplement, again use the Solgar brand, which provides 2.5mg a day. For local stockists, call 01442-890355.