Causes of decreased platelets and how to increase their number

Have you ever had dengue fever, and the doctor said the number of platelets in your blood decreased? Yes, dengue fever is one of the many conditions that causes decreased platelets. However, there are also other causes that can make your platelets decrease. What are the effective ways to increase the platelet count?

What are the causes of decreased platelets?

The condition of decreased platelets in medical language is known as thrombocytopenia. A person who has thrombocytopenia usually has platelets that are not more than 150 thousand pieces per microliter of blood.

In a healthy person's body, a normal platelet count is between 150 thousand and 450 thousand per microliter. The platelets produced in the bone marrow play an important role in the blood clotting process, so that people who experience thrombocytopenia are very susceptible to bleeding.

In general, the causes of thrombocytopenia are:

• The bone marrow doesn't produce enough platelets.
• The bone marrow produces the appropriate number of platelets, but due to certain conditions the body destroys the platelets.
• Platelets are stuck in the swollen spleen, causing less platelets to flow.

The combination of the conditions above can also be the cause of various abnormalities in the platelets. However, usually each of the conditions previously mentioned is the result of a certain bodily dysfunction or disease.

The following is an explanation of each of the causes of decreased platelets:

1. Less platelet production

Bone marrow is a part of the body that consists of stem cells or stem cells, which are cells that play a role in producing red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. When these stem cells are damaged, the red blood cells that are produced are also damaged, including platelets.

Decreased platelets due to inadequate production can be caused by several conditions, such as:

• Cancer
  Some types of blood cancer, such as leukemia or lymphoma, can damage the bone marrow and destroy blood stem cells. In addition, the treatments you are taking to treat cancer, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, can also exacerbate the damage to blood stem cells.
• Aplastic anemia
  Aplastic anemia is very rare. This blood disorder occurs when the bone marrow no longer produces enough blood cells. This can cause decreased platelets.
• Exposure to toxic chemicals
  Exposure to hazardous chemicals, such as pesticides, arsenic, and benzene, can cause platelet production in the bone marrow to slow down.
• Take drugs
  Certain medications can also slow the production of platelets in the bone marrow so that the numbers drop. Some drugs that can affect this condition are diuretics, chloramphenicol, aspirin, and ibuprofen.
• Viral infection
  Viral infection can also cause decreased platelets. One of them is the dengue virus infection (DENV) which is commonly found in dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). Apart from dengue fever, other infections such as chickenpox, mumps, rubella, and HIV / AIDS can also trigger a decrease in platelet production.

2. The body destroys its own platelets

Even though it has been produced in normal and sufficient quantities, sometimes the body can destroy platelets in the blood, resulting in a decrease in platelet levels.

Some of the conditions that cause platelets to drop in this case are:

• Autoimmune disease
  Autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system turns to attack healthy body cells, including blood stem cells in the bone marrow. In the case of thrombocytopenia, the immune system will attack the platelets in the body. Examples of autoimmune diseases that cause decreased platelets are rheumatism, lupus, and immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).
• Certain drugs
  Sometimes, reactions to certain drugs can leave the body "confused" and eventually destroy normal platelet cells. Some examples of drugs that can cause decreased platelets are quinine, antibiotics with sulfa content, and seizure drugs such as vancomycin and rifampin.
• Pregnancy
  Pregnancy can also trigger a decrease in the number of platelets in the body. About 5% of women who are nearing delivery have decreased platelet levels. However, the cause of decreased platelets in pregnant women is still not known with certainty.

3. Platelets are stuck in the spleen

Under normal circumstances, one third of the total platelets will be accommodated in the spleen. Swelling of the spleen will result in more platelets being trapped in it. As a result, the blood circulating in the body will lack platelets.

Swelling of the spleen (splenomegaly) can be caused by several medical conditions, such as cirrhosis or liver cancer. In addition, injury to the bone marrow or myelofibrosis can also cause the spleen to swell and platelets to drop.

How do you increase the number of platelets in the blood?

How to increase platelets can be done in various ways, from taking certain drugs, undergoing medical procedures, to utilizing natural ingredients.

Treatment usually depends on what is the cause behind the drop in platelets. Here are various ways to increase your platelet count:

1. Medicines

To increase your platelet count, you may be asked to take certain drugs. The medicines given will depend on the disease or health condition you are currently experiencing. However, generally doctors will prescribe corticosteroid drugs to slow down the process of platelet damage.

In addition, if the cause of your decreased platelets is an autoimmune disease, your doctor may prescribe immunoglobulin or rituximab drugs so that the immune system can be temporarily stopped. You may also be given eltrombopag or romiplostim drugs as a way to raise platelets.

2. Blood or platelet transfusions

Platelet or platelet transfusions are a method that is done only when the platelets fall at risk of causing abnormal bleeding or the condition is severe enough.

In this procedure, a needle will be inserted into your vein. Through the needle, you will receive healthy blood or platelets.

3. Splenectomy

If the cause of the decrease in platelets in your blood is related to swelling of the spleen, the doctor may recommend splenectomy or removal of the spleen. However, this procedure is usually done when the usual medicines have stopped working.

4. Consume platelet-boosting foods

If your platelet drop is mild, you may not need to undergo intensive treatment. You just need to eat healthy and nutritious foods to increase platelet levels.

Getting used to eating foods high in vitamins and minerals is in fact an effective way to help the body increase and at the same time maintain a normal platelet count in the blood. So, what foods do we need to consume to increase the platelet count?

• Guava
  According to a study published in Journal of Natural Medicines , Guava is able to stimulate the formation of new blood platelets. Guava is also rich in quercetin and thrombinol.

  Quercetin can suppress the development of viruses that cause platelets to drop, so it is hoped that the decrease in platelets will be reduced. Meanwhile, thrombinol is able to stimulate the production of platelets in the body. Thus, this method can help increase the platelet count rapidly.

  It is not surprising that people with dengue fever are advised to consume whole guava or juice. This is because guava is included in an effective diet to raise platelet levels, and has the potential to kill viruses that cause platelets to drop.

• Papaya leaf
  Papaya leaves can help stabilize the cell walls of the blood platelets so they are not easily destroyed by viral infections. Therefore, papaya leaves are also one of the foods that can help increase and maintain the platelet count.
• Folate
  Folate is a type of vitamin B that is recommended to treat various diseases or conditions that cause decreased platelets. Foods rich in folate can increase platelet levels effectively, such as broccoli, spinach, cabbage, kidney beans, liver, leeks, and beef liver.
• Iron
  The iron content in your diet is also very important as it increases the number of platelets in the blood. Iron plays an important role in the production of red blood cells and platelets in the body.

  Iron-rich foods that can also increase platelet levels include nuts, tofu, shellfish, lean beef, spinach, potatoes, and dark chocolate .

Remember, the various methods above you should first consult with your doctor and nutritionist. The reason is, the ways to increase platelets need to be adjusted to what causes your platelets to drop.