How to Increase Blood Platelet Count Naturally - Top 7 Foods

The platelet count is a common test that counts the platelets in your blood. Small blood cells called platelets, often known as thrombocytes, develop from cells in the bone marrow (megakaryocytes). When a blood vessel is damaged, platelets create clots to stop bleeding.

But many people find it challenging to maintain a healthy amount of platelet count. It can happen with one due to malaria, dengue fever or for other health problems. Here in this article, we will talk about how to increase blood platelet count naturally. 

Why is Platelet Count Important? 

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), any healthy adult person should have between 150,000 and 400,000 platelets per milliliter. 

Fatigue, bleeding gums, easy bruising, and other symptoms may be apparent in a person’s body while having a shortage of platelets. Thrombocytopenia is another name for low platelet counts. Hence, the platelet count is really crucial to keep you healthy. 

How to Increase Blood Platelet Count Naturally?

Increasing your blood platelets only by supplements and exercise is indeed challenging. In order to restore normal platelet counts, certain diseases like viral fever and dengue fever occasionally require the intravenous administration of a platelet transfusion. Moreover, a healthy balanced diet can increase your platelets gradually and thus help your blood clot. 

Here we are listing the top 7 foods to increase your platelet count: 

Green Leafy Vegetables

Green leafy vegetables are a great source of  vitamin K, which are essential in the blood-clotting pathway. But they are also effective in increasing platelet counts to some extent. Vegetables like basil, spinach, asparagus, cabbage and watercress are also useful in increasing platelet count. 

Fatty Fish

A list of items that raise platelet levels needs to have fatty fish surely. The reason is it has a lot of vitamin B12 which plays a vital role in enriching your platelets. 

Low platelet count is closely related to B12 shortage, according to some research, as this vitamin is essential for the production of red blood cells. Increase your intake of these fatty fish to help increase your platelet count. Salmon, trout, and tuna all have high B12 concentrations. Getting B12 from food may help your body use the vitamin more effectively than taking a B12 pill.

Milk

Milk is a good source of calcium and protein. So it helps keep our bones and muscles strong. Moreover, milk contains vitamin K, which is crucial for our body’s blood clotting system. 

That means drinking milk regularly can be effective in increasing total blood platelet counts. If you’re looking for natural ways to raise your platelets, make sure you drink milk on a regular basis. 

Papaya Leaf Extract

The most common treatment for low platelet counts is definitely papaya leaf extract. It is incredibly helpful for those who get infected with fever. You can observe your number of platelets getting higher than before in your Platelet Count test after taking papaya leaf extract regularly. 

However, papaya leaf juice can occasionally be quite bitter, causing trouble for some people to consume it easily.. In that case, you can eat it either in juice form or as a capsule supplement.  

Wheatgrass 

Wheatgrass is full of chlorophyll, quite similar to hemoglobin being abundant in our blood. When it comes to increasing your platelet count, wheat grass is really beneficial to your health. 

Alongside chlorophyll, it is rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamins, minerals and many more essential nutrients. As a result, wheatgrass helps boost your red blood cells (RBC) and white blood cells (WBC)  as well. 

Pomegranate

Pomegranate seeds are enriched with iron which plays a pivotal role in improving your blood counts. Additionally, it contains antioxidants and Vitamin C that are helpful in boosting your immunity as well as fighting infections. Hence, Doctors often prescribe patients to consume pomegranate fruit for staying healthy. 

Berries

Antioxidants are abundant in berries like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. They have a tendency to neutralize the free radicals, helping in the management of platelet count decline. Hence, they are really effective to boost your platelet count when included in the diet.

How Can I Raise My Platelet Count Quickly? 

Several vitamins and minerals can have a massive impact on increasing your platelet count. Here are some of them:

Folate-rich foods

A crucial B vitamin for healthy blood cells is folate, also known as vitamin B9. Adults need at least 400 micrograms (mcg) and pregnant women need 600 mcg of folate per day, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Foods that contain folic acid or folate include:

1. Beef liver
2. Black-eyed peas
3. Leafy green vegetables
4. Fortified breakfast cereals 
5. Yeast

Vitamin B-12-rich foods

Red blood cell production requires vitamin B12 to take place. Low platelet counts may also be caused by low levels of vitamin B12 in the body.

NIH says people over the age of 14 need 2.4 mcg of vitamin B12 daily, whereas pregnant women need up to 2.8 mcg of this vitamin. 

Animal-based foods are the main sources of vitamin B12, for example: 

1. Beef and beef liver
2. Low fat milk, yogurt and cheese
3. Eggs
4. Fortified cereals
5. Fish and shellfish, such as: trout, salmon, tuna

Vitamin C-rich foods

The Immune system of one’s body is heavily dependent on vitamin C. Additionally, it improves the body’s capacity to absorb iron, another mineral necessary for a healthy platelet count, and helps in the platelets’ proper functioning. 

Vitamin C is present in a wide range of fruits and vegetables, including:

1. Broccoli
2. Brussels sprouts
3. Citrus fruits
4. Red and green bell peppers
5. Strawberries

Vitamin D-rich foods

The bones, muscles, neurons, and immune system all benefit from vitamin D’s regular functioning.

According to the Platelet Disorder Support Association (PDSA), the bone marrow cells that create platelets and other blood cells depend on vitamin D to operate properly. 

Sunlight exposure can cause the body to create vitamin D. But not everyone gets enough sunlight every day, particularly if they live in places with cooler regions. Hence, vitamin D-rich foods can be vital for such people to have higher platelet count.   

Foods rich in Vitamin D are the following: 

1. Egg yolk
2. Oily fish, such as tuna, salmon
3. Fish liver oil
4. Mushrooms 
5. Fortified milk and yogurt

Vitamin K-rich foods

According to a PDSA survey, nearly 27% and 32% of the survey participants who took vitamin K, reported improvements in their platelet counts and bleeding symptoms, respectively.

NIH recommends that the recommended daily intake of vitamin K is 90 mcg for women and 120 mcg for men for individuals 19 years of age and older. 

Vitamin K-rich foods include:

1. leafy greens, like spinach, turnip greens, broccoli, lettuce
2. pumpkin, kiwi 
3. soybeans and soybean oil