Why is an elevated level dangerous?
It is the danger of blood clots that necessitates lowering platelet levels. In this case, it is important not only to adjust your diet, but also to consult a doctor for additional medical help.
Depending on the specific disease or factors contributing to elevated platelet levels, the doctor will prescribe appropriate medications and other treatments. He should also give recommendations on which foods should be added to the diet and which ones should be excluded.
In addition, when planning a diet, it is very important to take into account not only individual intolerance to certain food groups, but also other needs of the body.
It is necessary to plan the timing of meals and the distribution of proteins, fats and carbohydrates between meals.
It is also necessary to take into account the seasonality factor, ensuring protection from vegetables and fruits grown with the use of nitrates and other substances that have a negative, incompletely studied and dangerous effect on the human body.
How to reduce platelets in the blood
To reduce the number of platelets in the blood, you need to eat right, drink enough fluids, and take medications prescribed by your doctor. In addition to the main therapy, you can add folk remedies that thin the blood, but only under medical supervision.
Medication
There are several drugs that reduce platelet concentrations. The most effective medications include the following:
- Warfarin. Reduces blood viscosity, suppressing the formation of substances that cause clotting, which regulates the active production of platelets. Cannot be used in the presence of diseases associated with the hematopoietic system and after surgical interventions.
- Aspirin. It prevents platelet cells from connecting, which reduces the risk of blood clots. Contraindicated in the presence of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Clopidogrel. It affects the process of connecting platelets to each other, which is why most of them are excreted through the liver. Not prescribed to people who have individual intolerance to the components of the medication.
- Thrombo ACC. A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that reduces the production of hormone-like substances and does not allow Bizzocero plaques to concentrate in one place.
- Trental. The drug makes the blood less viscous and facilitates its passage through the circulatory system. It is not prescribed to people who have recently suffered a stroke or heart attack.
You should not self-medicate using the medications listed above. Only a doctor can determine which drug is suitable in each individual case.
Folk remedies
It is possible to reduce platelets in the blood using folk remedies, but only in combination with drug treatment as prescribed by a doctor. At home, prepare infusions or drinks from ginkgo biloba, ginger, cinquefoil, mulberry root, peony, celery, chestnut, sweet clover, birch buds, willow bark, etc.
Important information: Lifespan of red blood cells in human blood
The simplest recipe is to boil the grape juice by 1/3 of the original volume. You need to drink 1 glass of medicinal liquid per day.
To prepare the following tincture, 50 g of ginkgo biloba leaves are poured into 0.5 liters of vodka and left for 14 days. You need to drink 1 tsp. before meals for a month.
You can pour 50 g of mulberry root into 1 liter of cold water and leave for 60 minutes. After this, simmer over low heat for a quarter of an hour. You need to drink 1 glass 3 times a day for 5 days. After 2-3 courses with a break of 3 days, platelets will be reduced.
Another recipe: crush 2 heads of garlic, pour a glass of vodka and leave for 15 days in a dark place. Drink 1 tsp before meals.
Chestnut flower tincture helps to cope with the problem. To prepare it, you need to pour 50 g of flowers into 0.5 liters of vodka and leave for 21 days in a dark room. Use 3 times a day before meals.
Juice is also prepared from chestnut flowers. To do this, they are twisted through a meat grinder and squeezed. Can be stored in the refrigerator for no longer than 2 days. You need to drink 30 drops 2 times a day.
Before using any folk remedy, you should consult a doctor.
Most drinks are made with alcohol, which makes it impossible for them to be used by pregnant women, children and people who are contraindicated to drink alcohol even in small doses.
However, taking herbs can also have negative consequences. If you are prone to thrombocytosis, you should not often use valerian, nettle, St. John's wort, corn silk, and yarrow.
What should you avoid?
At the same time, you will have to give up some groups of foods that raise platelets. These primarily include those that contain abundant amounts of iron and other specific substances that promote blood thickening. It is recommended to exclude or limit consumption for the following products:
- liver (cod, chicken, pork, beef, turkey, etc.);
- Greek;
- milk and dairy products;
- berries (gooseberries, black currants, mulberries);
- some exotic fruits (mango, papaya, rambuttan, pitahaya);
- other foods high in iron.
In addition to a properly selected diet, a healthy, balanced diet is impossible without consuming enough clean drinking water. Consumption recommendations vary from 1 to 2 liters daily depending on the individual characteristics of the body.
In addition, it is important to change your lifestyle in general:
- giving up bad habits (smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, overeating);
- the presence of moderate physical and mental activity and constant development;
- preference for living in areas with favorable environmental conditions;
- giving up stress.
Functions and norms of platelets
Platelets are anucleate, colorless, flat blood cells. Formed in the bone marrow. Some enters the bloodstream, the other accumulates in the spleen. Life expectancy is no more than 10 days; they disintegrate in the spleen and liver.
The average platelet count in an adult in a general blood test is 150-400 thousand units/μl.
Women have lower rates than men. The values vary depending on the phase of the menstrual cycle and trimester of pregnancy. A person's age does not affect platelet cell levels.
The main function of platelets is to stop bleeding when the integrity of the skin and internal organs is violated. Cells participate in the metabolism of serotonin, capture and destroy pathogens. Blood plates accumulate biologically active substances that enter the bloodstream when a platelet dies. This promotes the growth of new cells.
How does diet affect platelets?
The level of platelets is influenced by many factors, some of which are classified as congenital, genetically determined, others as external.
One of the most important external factors, that is, not determined from birth, but resulting from human actions, is nutrition.
When platelet levels are low, drug treatment is often not enough; therefore, taking medications must be accompanied by a properly selected diet.
The diet to raise platelet levels must meet 3 requirements:
- eating at the same time every day;
- inclusion of foods that help increase platelet levels in the blood;
- exclusion of foods that reduce platelets.
When planning your diet, you must consult with your doctor and take into account all the individual characteristics, needs and intolerances of the body.
When compiling a diet, it is important to ensure the presence of all necessary groups of substances, take care of blood renewal due to the content of citrus fruits, berries and plenty of clean water, exclude foods that contribute to a general deterioration in health (overcooked, fatty carcinogenic foods, fast food, chips, etc.) .d.), and also ensure the digestibility of consumed food
Increased platelets
An increase in platelets compared to the norm (thrombocytosis) in the blood can be relative, when the volume of fluid in the body decreases due to dehydration, or absolute. In absolute thrombocytosis, PLT increases due to accelerated synthesis of these cells in the bone marrow.
To treat a relative increase in PLT, the use of drugs that lower blood viscosity, traditional methods of treatment, adherence to a drinking regime and a proper diet may be sufficient.
Absolute thrombocytosis is caused by a benign disease - anemia, bleeding, infection, or a malignant disease - lymphoma, leukemia, myelofibrosis.
It is possible to reduce platelets in absolute thrombocytosis only by eliminating the cause of the increase in the number of platelets in the blood. To do this, you will need to undergo an examination to diagnose the disease that caused the elevated platelets.
What foods reduce platelets?
It is possible to reduce platelets, which for various reasons increase in the blood of an adult, by consuming certain foods that affect the cellular composition of the blood. Doctors recommend adjusting the diet taking into account platelet levels, which will enhance the effect of traditional drug treatment.
Pomegranate juice is considered a good remedy not only for reducing cell levels, but also for stimulating the formation of red blood cells and preventing the development of anemia. A healthy drink should be chosen carefully; it should not contain preservatives, dyes or harmful additives.
It is best to cook it yourself without adding sugar. If there is no need to take juice, you can eat pomegranate fresh. It is important to include it in your diet at least 2 times a week.
Garlic and onion are important foods for normal blood circulation and the production of the correct number of blood cells. They must be consumed fresh, added to soups or salads. You should not abuse the products, but you can include them in the menu 2 to 4 times a week.
People with acute gastritis or peptic ulcer should first consult with a specialist.
Consequences of an increase or decrease in platelets in the blood
Sea fish in moderation also helps improve thrombocytosis. It is rich in fatty acids, which have a beneficial effect on the condition of the whole body. You should eat fish at least 3 times a week; it is better to steam it or bake it in the oven, which will preserve more useful components.
There are other foods that help fight thrombocytosis:
- Cinnamon reduces the concentration of platelets, which helps prevent the development of thrombosis and other complications associated with this disorder.
- A small amount of mushrooms should also be included in the menu 1-2 times a week.
- Berries, such as currants and raspberries, should also be included in the diet.
- It is recommended to consume beets raw in small quantities 2 to 3 times a week.
Compliance with these nutritional principles can significantly increase the effectiveness of treatment of thrombocytosis. After 2-3 months, normalization of indicators is noted. But doctors do not use diet as the main method of treatment, especially when the indicators are critically elevated. With a mild form of the disorder, dietary correction may be enough to reduce the numbers.
Causes of increased platelet levels
An increased level of platelets is called thrombocytosis. In primary thrombocytosis, the cells have an abnormal structure and do not perform their functions. In the secondary form, the number of blood plates increases, but they have a normal size and structure.
Causes of thrombocytosis:
- malignant tumors in the respiratory, digestive, and genitourinary systems;
- bacterial infections;
- damage to the humerus, femur, osteomyelitis;
- complex surgery, removal of the spleen;
- myeloproliferative pathologies - characterized by excessive production of platelets, leukocytes, erythrocytes;
- inflammatory processes in tissues, internal organs, cirrhosis of the liver;
- chemotherapy;
- taking synthetic adrenal analogues;
- acute, chronic bleeding, iron deficiency anemia;
A temporary increase in the number of platelets is observed during pregnancy. Which is associated with an increase in total blood volume and hormonal changes. Doctors say that this is normal, in the absence of other dangerous symptoms.
The consequences of thrombocytosis are stroke, heart attack, extensive internal bleeding, thrombophlebitis, impaired renal function.
With excessive consumption of strong alcohol, the level of blood platelets increases 3-4 times. This is due to the dilation of blood vessels, increasing the load on the heart and liver. Platelets increase with severe physical and nervous fatigue.
