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Foods to eat to raise platelet counts
Of course, consult your doctor before trying this out, I don't think many of these foods are out of the mainstream diet, but I'm no nutritionist. I don't have cirrhosis, so that's surely is a consideration in any diet one follows. I got this from Livestrong.com which to me is a trusted source.
Get a Dose of Folate
A severe folate deficiency can lead to low platelet counts, according to MedlinePlus. Folate, or vitamin B-9, is required for cell division and growth, which supports increased blood platelets. Adults should strive for 400 micrograms of folate a day. Orange juice is known for its folate content, but fortified cereals, spinach, asparagus, chickpeas, lentils and lima beans also contain this nutrient.
Lean Proteins and Fish
Thunder Bay Regional Health Center recommends a high-protein diet to increase your platelet counts. These foods are also an excellent source of zinc and vitamin B-12. Vitamin B-12 promotes platelet production, and a deficiency can cause thrombocytopenia. Zinc boosts immunity and, according to the Linus Pauling Institute, a deficiency leads to slow wound healing. Oysters are the best source of zinc, and beef, crab, chicken and turkey also contain high amounts.
Dietary Considerations
Inflammation can inhibit functioning of your stem cells, which produce red and white blood cells and platelets. The Platelet Disorder Support Association recommends following an anti-inflammatory or macrobiotic diet to increase platelet counts. This diet focuses on whole grains, beans and vegetables and reduces animal foods. Avoid aspartame, alcohol and foods containing quinine, such as bitter lemon, bitter melon and tonic water.
Get a Dose of Folate
A severe folate deficiency can lead to low platelet counts, according to MedlinePlus. Folate, or vitamin B-9, is required for cell division and growth, which supports increased blood platelets. Adults should strive for 400 micrograms of folate a day. Orange juice is known for its folate content, but fortified cereals, spinach, asparagus, chickpeas, lentils and lima beans also contain this nutrient.
Lean Proteins and Fish
Thunder Bay Regional Health Center recommends a high-protein diet to increase your platelet counts. These foods are also an excellent source of zinc and vitamin B-12. Vitamin B-12 promotes platelet production, and a deficiency can cause thrombocytopenia. Zinc boosts immunity and, according to the Linus Pauling Institute, a deficiency leads to slow wound healing. Oysters are the best source of zinc, and beef, crab, chicken and turkey also contain high amounts.
Dietary Considerations
Inflammation can inhibit functioning of your stem cells, which produce red and white blood cells and platelets. The Platelet Disorder Support Association recommends following an anti-inflammatory or macrobiotic diet to increase platelet counts. This diet focuses on whole grains, beans and vegetables and reduces animal foods. Avoid aspartame, alcohol and foods containing quinine, such as bitter lemon, bitter melon and tonic water.
Best Answer
S13N, No need for an apology. There are a lot of highly informed, caring people on this forum willing to help all those with questions. In the end though, it is the information you uncover for yourself, and speak at length with your MD about, that counts the most. Hopefully, your MD is not the type that is in such a hurry they don't even take a seat, and if you have a detailed set of questions, makes answering them seem like an imposition. I realize with all of the ridiculous hoops the MDs in the USA have to jump through to get paid, they don't have time for idle chit-chat. Having said that, if you feel as though you are being treated too brusquely, and your questions not adequately addressed, there are many Hepatologists out there. Mac790
I thought I tried to qualify my post as much as I could. That it was not for people with cirrhosis, and as far as I can deduce) not everyone on this board has cirrhosis, I really feel for the ones that do, truly. I know and have known many people with cirrhosis.
My platelets fell on treatment, I'm now out of treatment, so I'm just trying one way (with my doctor's consent) to raise them. I thought I'd post it, as this info is available to anybody. I guess I was wrong to post it, if I am, I am truly sorry.
My platelets fell on treatment, I'm now out of treatment, so I'm just trying one way (with my doctor's consent) to raise them. I thought I'd post it, as this info is available to anybody. I guess I was wrong to post it, if I am, I am truly sorry.
Not to belabor a non-issue for 99% of folks with chronic hepatitis C infection...all I am saying in the underlying cause of thrombocytopenia in a cirrhotic with portal hypertension is their advanced liver disease, which can't be changed without addressing the liver disease itself. As with hepatitis C no diet, vitamins, supplement is going to change the fact that the virus is replicating a trillion times a day and causing injury to the liver. To focus on a symptom of a disease gets us no where. Like putting a bandaid on an amputation an expecting a changed outcome. Only when the advanced liver disease is addressed can there be any meaningful change in the complications of the disease...thrombocytopenia, ascites, varices and the many other complications that occur as a result of having cirrhosis and portal hypertension.
Again as far as priorities thrombocytopenia is not an issue in cirrhotics until there are either bleeding problems or the person needs to undergo a procedure such as surgery,. I lived fine for 5 years with a platelet count in the 60,000 - 70,000 range. It was the other complications that have an impact on the day to day quality of life of the cirrhotic. The massive fatigue which can be disabling and then there are the episodes of HE, ascites, etc. that require medical intervention. Then should another consequence of cirrhosis HCC appear that is a whole other number of things to worry about even though HCC has no symptoms it does stress the mind as it is a cancer diagnosis and it treatment while awaiting transplant can set one back during the recovery process.
Anyway.. thrombocytopenia is only one small issue in a panoply of medical issues that are managed by a person's hepatologist. Other issues some of which can be life-threatening prioritize the attention of the hepatologist. It is the patient's responsibility to stay as healthy as possible, for as long as possible. Those of us who went into our liver transplants in better health typically recover more quickly post transplant. That being said for those suffering with End-Stage Liver Disease on long waiting-lists needing a MELD score in the mid 30s to get to the top of the list have no other option and may need to become very ill before they are able to be transplanted.
Nice chatting.
Be well.
Hector
Again as far as priorities thrombocytopenia is not an issue in cirrhotics until there are either bleeding problems or the person needs to undergo a procedure such as surgery,. I lived fine for 5 years with a platelet count in the 60,000 - 70,000 range. It was the other complications that have an impact on the day to day quality of life of the cirrhotic. The massive fatigue which can be disabling and then there are the episodes of HE, ascites, etc. that require medical intervention. Then should another consequence of cirrhosis HCC appear that is a whole other number of things to worry about even though HCC has no symptoms it does stress the mind as it is a cancer diagnosis and it treatment while awaiting transplant can set one back during the recovery process.
Anyway.. thrombocytopenia is only one small issue in a panoply of medical issues that are managed by a person's hepatologist. Other issues some of which can be life-threatening prioritize the attention of the hepatologist. It is the patient's responsibility to stay as healthy as possible, for as long as possible. Those of us who went into our liver transplants in better health typically recover more quickly post transplant. That being said for those suffering with End-Stage Liver Disease on long waiting-lists needing a MELD score in the mid 30s to get to the top of the list have no other option and may need to become very ill before they are able to be transplanted.
Nice chatting.
Be well.
Hector
I'm glad for your post because I probably really didn't emphasize that this diet was not designated for people with cirrhosis (enough) though I did mention it. And I know more than a few people with cirrhosis who don't pay enough attention to their diet, at all...And they eat salty junk food, etc. Perhaps some of them do this because they don't know better, or they don't care enough. You made a really through analysis of what people should pay attention to when they do have cirrhosis.
The moderator correctly pointed out that I split my post into two parts, which could confusing to many, and that I should put the other part here as an answer to my own post (which I'll do.) I would like to point out that although Livestrong is a cancer related website, this diet was not designated for only people who have cancer, it was designated for people who would like to hopefully raise their platelets, but diet is not the only way that should be discussed with one's doctor, like everything else. As I pointed out, I got a lot of this same info from other medical websites, as well. If anyone would like to conduct a search of this topic, many will come up. Good, whole grains, leafy greens, vegetables, legumes, kale, fish, I think is a pretty good diet most people (again, people with cirrhosis need to discuss any diet with their doctor with a particular emphasis) I don't eat meat other than fish (and no, I don't eat oysters, shellfish or sushi, I think them a bit risky) and I should have been more thorough in my explanations. Here is the second part.
Platelets protect you from losing too much blood when you get a wound. Found in your blood, platelets are irregularly shaped and sticky with no color. When you get injured, they congregate at the site and form a clot to halt bleeding. Thrombocytopenia, or a low blood platelet count, occurs for a variety of reasons, including genetics, medications, alcohol, viruses, pregnancy and diseases. Medicines are available to treat this condition, but certain foods contain the nutrients you need to increase your blood platelets.
Eat Your Leafy Greens
When you are injured, proteins are activated to start a series of events to clot your blood and stymie the bleeding. These proteins rely upon vitamin K to get the job done. Without this nutrient, you can’t effectively clot blood and halt bleeding. The adequate intake for kale is 120 micrograms a day for men and 90 micrograms for women. One cup of chopped kale contains 547 micrograms. Other sources of vitamin K include other green, leafy vegetables, vegetable oils and parsley. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, there is no known toxicity level of vitamin K; however, speak with your physician if you’re taking medication, such as warfarin, before supplementing with vitamin K. Again, discuss all this info with your doc beforehand.
The moderator correctly pointed out that I split my post into two parts, which could confusing to many, and that I should put the other part here as an answer to my own post (which I'll do.) I would like to point out that although Livestrong is a cancer related website, this diet was not designated for only people who have cancer, it was designated for people who would like to hopefully raise their platelets, but diet is not the only way that should be discussed with one's doctor, like everything else. As I pointed out, I got a lot of this same info from other medical websites, as well. If anyone would like to conduct a search of this topic, many will come up. Good, whole grains, leafy greens, vegetables, legumes, kale, fish, I think is a pretty good diet most people (again, people with cirrhosis need to discuss any diet with their doctor with a particular emphasis) I don't eat meat other than fish (and no, I don't eat oysters, shellfish or sushi, I think them a bit risky) and I should have been more thorough in my explanations. Here is the second part.
Platelets protect you from losing too much blood when you get a wound. Found in your blood, platelets are irregularly shaped and sticky with no color. When you get injured, they congregate at the site and form a clot to halt bleeding. Thrombocytopenia, or a low blood platelet count, occurs for a variety of reasons, including genetics, medications, alcohol, viruses, pregnancy and diseases. Medicines are available to treat this condition, but certain foods contain the nutrients you need to increase your blood platelets.
Eat Your Leafy Greens
When you are injured, proteins are activated to start a series of events to clot your blood and stymie the bleeding. These proteins rely upon vitamin K to get the job done. Without this nutrient, you can’t effectively clot blood and halt bleeding. The adequate intake for kale is 120 micrograms a day for men and 90 micrograms for women. One cup of chopped kale contains 547 micrograms. Other sources of vitamin K include other green, leafy vegetables, vegetable oils and parsley. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, there is no known toxicity level of vitamin K; however, speak with your physician if you’re taking medication, such as warfarin, before supplementing with vitamin K. Again, discuss all this info with your doc beforehand.
As you said "consult your doctor before trying this"
NOTE: Livestrong.com is a Cancer Support Website for people with various forms of cancer they do not have liver disease or liver disease caused by hepatitis C and possible cirrhosis of the liver.
As they say it "The LIVESTRONG Foundation unites, inspires and empowers people affected by cancer."
They are a great website and organization for those with cancer. I have had cancer other than my liver cancer and have found them to be a great organization. If you know someone with cancer please tell them about LIVESTRONG.
But if you have cirrhosis and portal hypertension caused by hep C (or anything else for that matter) none of this applies and you should consult with your hepatologist. Any changes in diet should be approved by your hepatologist/transplant center before taking them. Taking certain vitamins, seafood or red meat (if you have HE) can be dangerous and can cause serious, even life-threatening complications is some people with cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Which is why cirrhotics and people awaiting liver transplant are advised to avoid the certain substances that a damaged liver and a weakened immune system can not tolerate as a "healthy" person can. Even plain sodium (salt) which is in almost all processed foods can be problematic for cirrhotic with fluid retention.
Any raw shellfish, such as oysters which may carry a bacteria called Vibrio vulnificus that can be dangerous to people with cirrhosis. If you are not sure how well shellfish is cooked, do not eat it.
Red meat can cause an episode of hepatic encephalopathy.
A lower than normal platelet count is a "normal" complication of cirrhosis + portal hypertension. Until the underlying cause of the cirrhosis is address the platelet count will never return to a normal level. The two options are treating and curing the hepatitis C chronic infection and having your liver disease reverse itself or by having a liver transplant.
Only when a platelet count is so low that clotting/bleeding issues are a problem than platelet count may become a concern. Typically below 30,000 sometimes a little higher. All hepatologist are aware of this and monitor their patient's platelet counts. They are the only one who can intervention should there be a need for treatment. As treatments include risks and must be managed along with the cirrhotics totally condition.
Of course many of us who have had cirrhosis have had treatments to raise platelet counts only temporarily in certain circumstances. Eltrombopag and platelet transfusion. Platelet transfusion is currently the treatment of choice for the management of thrombocytopenia because it can both correct low platelet counts and reduce the risk of bleeding of course their are limitations and risks.
If you are having bleeding issues due to your platelet count or other related coagulation problems which cirrhosis can cause, you should consult with your hepatologist/liver transplant center as this may be a sign of your cirrhosis becoming worse.
Hector
NOTE: Livestrong.com is a Cancer Support Website for people with various forms of cancer they do not have liver disease or liver disease caused by hepatitis C and possible cirrhosis of the liver.
As they say it "The LIVESTRONG Foundation unites, inspires and empowers people affected by cancer."
They are a great website and organization for those with cancer. I have had cancer other than my liver cancer and have found them to be a great organization. If you know someone with cancer please tell them about LIVESTRONG.
But if you have cirrhosis and portal hypertension caused by hep C (or anything else for that matter) none of this applies and you should consult with your hepatologist. Any changes in diet should be approved by your hepatologist/transplant center before taking them. Taking certain vitamins, seafood or red meat (if you have HE) can be dangerous and can cause serious, even life-threatening complications is some people with cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Which is why cirrhotics and people awaiting liver transplant are advised to avoid the certain substances that a damaged liver and a weakened immune system can not tolerate as a "healthy" person can. Even plain sodium (salt) which is in almost all processed foods can be problematic for cirrhotic with fluid retention.
Any raw shellfish, such as oysters which may carry a bacteria called Vibrio vulnificus that can be dangerous to people with cirrhosis. If you are not sure how well shellfish is cooked, do not eat it.
Red meat can cause an episode of hepatic encephalopathy.
A lower than normal platelet count is a "normal" complication of cirrhosis + portal hypertension. Until the underlying cause of the cirrhosis is address the platelet count will never return to a normal level. The two options are treating and curing the hepatitis C chronic infection and having your liver disease reverse itself or by having a liver transplant.
Only when a platelet count is so low that clotting/bleeding issues are a problem than platelet count may become a concern. Typically below 30,000 sometimes a little higher. All hepatologist are aware of this and monitor their patient's platelet counts. They are the only one who can intervention should there be a need for treatment. As treatments include risks and must be managed along with the cirrhotics totally condition.
Of course many of us who have had cirrhosis have had treatments to raise platelet counts only temporarily in certain circumstances. Eltrombopag and platelet transfusion. Platelet transfusion is currently the treatment of choice for the management of thrombocytopenia because it can both correct low platelet counts and reduce the risk of bleeding of course their are limitations and risks.
If you are having bleeding issues due to your platelet count or other related coagulation problems which cirrhosis can cause, you should consult with your hepatologist/liver transplant center as this may be a sign of your cirrhosis becoming worse.
Hector
This is how Ive interpeted it...a cirrhotic liver impedes blood flow through it hence the circulatory system tends to thin its own blood. Platelet count drops naturally. Eating foods rich in vitamin K will raise the count (thicken the blood) but in turn will force it to back up and lead toward varicies and other seriously dangerous problems. The object therefore, as in any catch-22 is to maintain a fine balancing act--keep the platelet count where the cirrhotic body wants it to be but without going too low.
Think it's different for everybody, but many on here and elsewhere have few side effects and side effects from withdrawal, comparatively speaking (With Sovaldi). Some of us got hit harder than others. Depends on sooo many factors, most probably. Age, even gender, amount of liver damage, prior treatments, other conditions, the list goes on. And even those aren't always predictors. I've seen people with more liver damage who have treated before report relatively few side effects. Just take the best care of yourself that you can. I keep telling myself at least we have better percentages of SVR and far more kinder treatments than just over a year ago. Just my thoughts. You will find a lot of good info here, best of luck!
Thanks for posting! After 8 weeks my enzymes have normalized. My white blood cells are going back up , but my platelets are still low. Everything else is good except the platelets. Wondering about postsd of after tx weakness? True or different for everybody. From day one I started feeling better on sovaldi and olysio.
LIVESTRONG.com is a good source of information, I think. You can go there to get the entire page on this. But you can also find similar findings on a lot of medical websites, many that are very reputable. I searched because right now I'm cruising on 116 and I'd like to get my platelets up to normal eventually.(Course, that's an unknown right now) I have low liver damage and ended my Sovaldi Olysio treatment a little over two months ago, which lowered my platelets, they were normal before starting (That's not to say it's going to do that to everybody, some report their platelets actually were raised during treatment). Mine went all the way down on chemo to 10 (for leukemia chemo treatment) and they went back up to normal. My oncologist told me that perhaps my good diet 'might' have played a part -- but that's my doctor at Cedar's Sinai, which was rated one of the 10 best hospital in the US by Forbes magazine -- I feel we should follow our doctor's medical advice. Just posting for those who are interested but of course we all have our own opinions, that's a given. Best of luck!!!
Hmm , I was told platelets have a very short life ,so no food or minerals vitamins ect .. Would increase count . I do know that certain things can have an effect on lowering them . Such as tonic water ( quinine ) alcohol ect... Will double check with Doc . Sure could use some help in that area.
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