What Is The Red Blood Cell Count
Red Blood Cells, also known as erythrocytes, are the most common cells found in blood and formed in the bone marrow. Red Blood Cells contain an element called haemoglobin that transports oxygen to different parts of your body. Besides transporting oxygen, it transports carbon dioxide from the cells to the lungs, which gets released as you exhale.
Red Blood Cell Count means the number of red blood cells present in your blood. The normal RBC Count in males is 4.7 to 6.1 million cells per cubic millimetre , and in females, it is 4.2 to 5.4 million cells/mm3. Further, the haemoglobin count in adult males should be 14 to 18 g/dl , and in females, it should be 12 to 16 g/dl.
When your RBC Count is low, the oxygen supply gets disrupted in your body. This condition results in a serious complication known as Anaemia. The symptoms of Anaemia include the following.
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Shortness of breath
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Heart palpitation
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High risk of infection
If you encounter any of these symptoms of Anaemia, contact your doctor immediately. Anaemia can put you at risk of many serious complications, and sometimes it may prove to be life-threatening if timely treatment measures are not taken.
Should I Worry If My Red Blood Cell Count Is High
Not necessarily. While a high red blood cell count can indicate a disease or disorder, it doesnt always mean you have a health condition. Other factors like living at a high altitude can also have an impact on your red blood cell count.
But, if you have a high red blood cell count, its always a good idea to have additional testing done. This way, your healthcare provider can find the cause and determine if treatment is necessary.
Supplements To Increase Red Blood Cells
Sometimes diet isnt enough to increase red blood cells. In that case, turning to supplements can help your body produce the red blood cells it needs. Here are a few options:
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Learning Ways Of Increasing The Red Blood Cells Can Mean Eating Different Foods Taking Supplements And Changing Your Lifestyle
Red blood cells, also known as erythrocytes, are the most common blood cells in the body. In fact, about a quarter of all cells in the body are red blood cells. Their primary function is to carry oxygen to all tissues of the body, picking up the oxygen from the lungs and releasing it as they enter the capillaries. Over 2.4 million new red blood cells are produced every second, and they survive in the body for up to 120 days.
There are many reasons that your red blood cell count could be too low. The most common reasons include anemia, bone marrow failure, malnutrition, leukemia, hemolysis due to transfusions or injury to the blood vessels, being too hydrated, nutritional deficiencies, or even pregnancy. There are some drugs that can also bring down your red blood cell counts, including several cancer drugs.
Fortunately, there are several ways to increase the red blood cell count in your body.
Ways To Decrease Rbc Levels

The most important thing is to work with a doctor to find out whats causing a high RBC count and to treat any underlying conditions. The additional lifestyle changes listed below are other things you may want to discuss with your doctor. None of these strategies should ever be done in place of what your doctor recommends or prescribes!
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Tests For Causes Of Anemia
A complete blood count is a blood test that measures your hemoglobin level and other characteristics of your red blood cells . This test not only shows if you have anemia, but it can also help your doctor figure out what might be causing it.
You might also need other tests to help to find what is causing it. These could include:
- Blood chemistry tests to check organ function and levels of vitamins and minerals
- A blood test called a reticulocytecount
- A bone marrow exam to make sure your bone marrow is working as it should
- Blood tests to look at your iron, vitamin B12, and folate levels
- A test of your stool to check for blood
Your doctor or nurse can use the results of these tests, along with your medical information and a physical exam, to get an idea of what might be causing your anemia. Sometimes no cause can be found other than anemia of chronic disease. This type of anemia is often found in people with long-lasting problems like congestive heart failure, inflammatory diseases, or cancer.
Why Is A Hemoglobin Test Done
Your provider may perform a hemoglobin test as part of a routine physical exam. Hemoglobin tests are part of a complete blood count test, which identifies the number of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets in a blood sample. This information allows your provider to assess your health and screen for certain conditions.
Your provider may also perform a hemoglobin test if you have symptoms that suggest conditions related to low hemoglobin levels or high hemoglobin levels.
Low hemoglobin
Having low hemoglobin or too few red blood cells can deprive your tissues and organs of the oxygen they need to make energy and keep you healthy.
Finally, your provider may check your hemoglobin to see how you respond to treatments meant to lower or boost your red blood cell count.
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Nuts And Legumes To Increase Red Blood Cell Count
We cant deny that nuts and legumes have many benefits and purposes for maintaining our health. They have plenty of nutrients and minerals to keep our body functioning stay healthy. As for managing hemoglobin levels, nuts and legumes may have solutions to keep that level and reduce the possibility of anemia. The following foods may have benefits to fight anemia.
How A Doctor Can Help
In some cases, changes in diet or lifestyle alone arent enough alone to increase your RBC count to healthy levels. A doctor may recommend one or more of the following:
Medication to treat an underlying condition: If your RBC deficiency is caused by an underlying condition, such as an autoimmune disease, medication may be necessary. Treating the underlying condition may help your RBC count return to normal.
Medication to stimulate RBC production: A hormone called erythropoietin is produced in the kidneys and liver and stimulates the bone marrow to produce RBCs. Erythropoietin can be used as a treatment for some forms of anemia. This treatment may be prescribed for anemia caused by kidney disease, chemotherapy, and other factors.
Blood transfusion: If medications arent working, a doctor may recommend a blood transfusion to boost your RBCs.
Blood or bone marrow transplant: This procedure can replace faulty stem cells that are causing problems with RBC production. The transplant introduces healthy cells to replace the faulty ones.
Surgery: If anemia is related to issues with bleeding, surgery may be needed.
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Soybean And Soy Product
For some reason, soybean may increase red blood cell count because of its high in nutrients. Soybean has essential minerals such as potassium , phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and sodium. It also has micromineral including iron, zinc, manganese, copper, and selenium. In red blood cell production, iron and copper are essential to forming hemoglobin and shaping red blood cells.
Soybean is also known to have high amino acid content. Like meat and poultry, 9 essential amino also exist in soybean including valine, isoleucine, lysine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, threonine, methionine, leucine, and histidine. It also has conditional essential amino acids such as arginine, tyrosine, cysteine, glycine, serine, proline, and glutamic acid. Some research suggests that various amino acids such as valine, isoleucine, arginine, and Alanine can slightly improve red blood cell production.
Soy products like tempeh have relatively the same nutrition as soybean. Tempeh may be good for rising up hemoglobin levels. However, other soy products like tofu should be avoided since they have a high content of calcium. According to the expert, calcium can overtake iron absorption. So, minimizing tofu intake may help you to maintain hemoglobin levels.
Can Hematocrit Stabilize In Men On Trt
Hematocrit may stabilize after long term testosterone replacement. Although we only have a study done in mice, it may explain why hematocrit may eventually decrease and stabilize in men on TRT. There seems to be an adaptive mechanism that makes red blood cells indices change while hematocrit stabilizes. Some men red blood cell indices start changing after starting TRT as a way for the body to compensate for the extra production of red blood cells. There are three red blood cell indices: mean corpuscular volume , mean corpuscular hemoglobin , and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration . They are measured by a machine, and their values come from other measurements in a CBC panel. The MCV shows the size of the red blood cells. The MCH value is the amount of hemoglobin in an average red blood cell. The MCHC measures the concentration of hemoglobin in an average red blood cell.
Another study that followed frequent blood donors found a reduction in ferritin in them created as a way for the body to increase iron absorption in the presence of lower hematocrit. Ferritin and hematocrit stabilized after 5 donations.
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What Is A Low Red Blood Cell Count
A low red blood cell count is a condition known as anemia.There are three causes of anemia:
- Blood loss due to wounds, lesions, ulcers, hemorrhoids, inflammation of the stomach, and cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Faulty or decreased red blood cell production due to sickle cell anemia, iron deficiency anemia, vitamin deficiency anemia, and diseases of the bone marrow and stem cells.
- Excessive destruction of red blood cells.
Medical Ways To Increase Red Blood Cells

What if you have tried iron-rich diet, and you have also taken supplements, but your red blood cell count remains low? In that case, it might be time for medical intervention. Keep in mind that this is usually a last resort, and most doctors will only go this route if your deficiencies in red blood cells are significant.
Erythropoietin. This hormone stimulates the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells. This is often used for individuals who are experiencing kidney failure or going through chemotherapy treatment.
How to increase red blood cells? These tips and tricks can help you increase red blood cell production however, if none of them seem to work well or you are suffering from symptoms, speak to a doctor about the condition. From there, you can figure out what you need to spur production of red blood cells, as well as rule out any medical conditions that need more intense treatment.
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What Causes A High Red Blood Cell Count
A high red blood cell count may be a symptom of a disease or disorder. But, it doesnt always mean that you have a health problem. Health or lifestyle factors can also cause a high red blood cell count.
Medical conditions that can cause an increase in red blood cells include:
- Heart failure, causing low blood oxygen levels.
- Congenital heart disease .
- Polycythemia vera .
- Living at a high altitude.
- Taking performance-enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids or erythropoietin.
Best Foods & Supplements To Increase Red Blood Cell Count
The table below lists the food items to increase RBC count based on the nutrients present in them
Food Items |
15 mg/day for an average adult |
Other than these, healthy lifestyle habits like jogging, running, and swimming can be the best bet for increasing the RBC count of your body. However, it should be kept in mind that drinking excess water may lower your body’s count of red blood cells.
Low blood cells may lead to various acute medical conditions and chronic diseases. Having healthy habits to maintain the red blood cell count is essential for every individual.
Disclaimer: It is advised to consult a doctor before choosing the right supplements and foods to increase RBC. Additionally, if your red blood cell count is lowering due to any condition, you should seek the help of a doctor and get treated.
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How To Increase Red Blood Cells Count
There can be several ways to improve the red blood cell count. The RBC count can be improved with an increase in the intake of nutrients like Vitamin B9 , Vitamin B12, Iron, Copper, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E.
Furthermore, exercising regularly and reducing the consumption of alcohol can increase the RBC count in the human body.
What Type Of Blood Cell Carries Oxygen Throughout The Body
Red blood cells , also called erythrocytes, are the most abundant cell type in the blood. Other major blood components include plasma, white blood cells, and platelets. The primary function of red blood cells is to transport oxygen to body cells and deliver carbon dioxide to the lungs. A red blood cell has what is known as a biconcave shape.
What type of bloods cells are responsible for carrying oxygen?
These help in blood clotting. Red blood cells . These carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body White blood cells . These help fight infections and aid in the immune process. Types of white blood cells include: Lymphocytes Monocytes Eosinophils Basophils Neutrophils Platelets . These help in blood clotting.
What attaches to red blood cells to carry oxygen?
Red blood cells carry hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein that attaches to oxygen in the lungs and carries it to tissues throughout the body. Anemia occurs when you do not have enough red blood cells or when your red blood cells do not function properly.
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How Can I Increase My Red Blood Cell Count After Chemo
When the condition is severe, therapy may involve blood transfusions, iron supplements, or drugs that increase blood cell synthesis. 1. Having said that, anemia caused by chemotherapy may typically be controlled with conservative treatments to alleviate symptoms. Some anti-neoplastic agents may actually induce myelosuppression by their own action , so treatment with these drugs should be delayed until the hematocrit has recovered to above 30%. Chemotherapy-induced anemia usually resolves within 3 months of completion of treatment.
There are two types of anemia: acute and chronic. Acute anemia occurs suddenly as a result of bleeding into the bloodstream from any cause other than malnutrition. Common causes of acute anemia include trauma to the body, such as fractures or cuts inflammation of any tissue, which results in the release of chemicals that destroy blood cells and certain diseases, such as leukemia, where too many immature cells are being produced by the bone marrow. Chronic anemia is caused by a disease or condition that persists for a long time without improving. Common causes of chronic anemia include cancer leukemia lymphoma human immunodeficiency virus tuberculosis multiple sclerosis cirrhosis of the liver kidney failure and heart failure.
Medicines That Increase Wbc Count
If you have a low white blood cell count, your healthcare provider may prescribe medications to stimulate white blood cell production. These medications, such as Neupogen , Neulasta , and others, are all part of a family of drugs called granulocyte colony stimulators . These medications work by jump-starting the bone marrow to produce more white blood cells.
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Using The Steps For Interpretation Of The Red Blood Cell Parameters Of The Cbc And Reticulocyte Counts
Step 1. Interpret the HB value relative to the appropriate reference interval.
When the hemoglobin is below the reference interval it is described as anemia. The physiological definition of anemia is a decrease in the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. Since the oxygen-carrying capacity depends on hemoglobin, it is the most reliable indicator of anemia and most instances of anemia will have an associated decrease in hemoglobin. The exception is with non-functional hemoglobin, such as carbon monoxide poisoning, in which the hemoglobin is adequate in amount but cannot carry oxygen. The patient is anemic physiologically, but the hemoglobin value will not reflect it. Fortunately, these instances are rare.
When the hemoglobin is above the reference interval it is described as erythrocytosis. While the strict definition of erythrocytosis is an increase in the number of erythrocytes and therefore, cannot be truly assessed by the hemoglobin value, in most instances when there is an elevated hemoglobin value, there is also erythrocytosis. Additionally, the term polycythemia is sometimes used when the hemoglobin is elevated. This risks confusion with polycythemia vera, a malignant condition in which the rbcs, wbcs, and plts are all elevated.
Step 2. Interpret the MCV relative to the reference interval.
Step 3. Interpret the MCHC relative to the reference interval.
Step 4. Interpret the RDW relative to the reference interval.