What vitamins should i take to increase white blood cells

1. Home
2. Health Articles
3. 6 Nutrients that will Boost your Immune System

Table of Contents Show

• HIGHLIGHTS:
• Living a lifestyle that strengthens our immune systems has always been crucial. And now, even more so than ever.
• Here are 6 nutrients you could add to your diet in order to boost to your immune system:
• References, Websites, and Resources:
• What vitamins improve white blood cell count?
• Can vitamin D increase white blood cells?

ImmunizationGeneral Health FoodAllergyImmune systemNutrient

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Our immune system can weaken due to stress, insufficient rest, nutritional imbalances and a lack of exercise.
• Basic indicators of a weakened immune system include regularly catching colds, wounds healing slowly, feelings of exhaustions and frequent bouts of diarrhea.
• White blood cells are the body’s personal bodyguards. It strengthens the immune system and protects us from disease.

Living a lifestyle that strengthens our immune systems has always been crucial. And now, even more so than ever.

Here are 6 nutrients you could add to your diet in order to boost to your immune system:

1. Fats: Fats play a key role in hormone production, including sexual hormones and stress-resistant hormones. Consumption of healthy fats can, therefore, boost your immune system. Fish, avocado, rice bran, nuts and grains are all good sources of such nutrients.
2. Mushrooms: These contain a range of essential nutrients. Mushrooms have polysaccharides, which aid white blood cell function, and Beta Glucans, which play a key role in resisting cancers and keeping the body safe from infection.
3. Vitamin C: Found in many vegetables and fruits, vitamin C helps to build up immunity to disease.
4. Probiotics: These work in tandem with health microbes such as lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, and can be found in probiotic drinks, as well as yogurts. They boost white blood cell production in the peripheral intestinal mucosa which, in turn, reduces inflammation as well as helps the immune system respond rapidly to danger.
5. Vitamin D: These vitamins boost the immune system’s production of cathelicidin, which stimulates white blood cell function, ensuring it is ready to fight off illness and disease. We can get vitamin D from exposure to sunlight (weak sunlight during the early mornings and evenings is best), various types of mushroom, fish (especially salmon), milk, cheese, yogurt and orange juice.
6. Vitamin A: This vitamin aids white blood cell production, as well as strengthens them. We can source vitamin A from fish liver, carrot, spinach, bitter gourd, tomato, passion fruit and broccoli.

Additionally, try to avoid stress, smoking, alcohol, and a bad diet as these weaken the immune system.

A strong immune system means our white blood cells are strong enough to fight off bacteria, viruses or any other body invaders. It is what will keep us healthy, given any circumstances. Thus, if we focus on strengthening our immune system, we will significantly reduce our chances of getting sick. And if we do get sick, our body will be able to heal itself.

Phaisit Trakulkongsmut, M.D.

View profile

Sign up to save your patient information for your next booking

Sign up

Already have an account? Log in

Question:

Is there anything that can be changed in the diet to bring up white blood cell count?

Answer:

Low white blood cell counts (WBC’s) or leukopenia, can occur at certain times throughout chemotherapy. Most of the time, blood counts will return to normal before a person starts the next round of chemotherapy, and also after cancer therapy is completed.

WBCs and all other blood cells are made in the bone marrow, so radiation to bones, especially as a child, can cause chronic suppression of blood cell production and low counts (1). Most cancer patients, however, will recover their WBC much more quickly. Keep in mind that the amount of time it takes for WBC to return to normal varies from person to person.

While no specific foods or diet changes are proven to increase production of white blood cells, if you have low WBC (leukopenia), it is very important to practice good hygiene, hand-washing, and food safety practices. Neutrophils are the cells that fight bacterial infection. Neutropenia, which simply means low levels of neutrophils, occurs when Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) falls below 1500 (2). When this happens, a person is more susceptible to infections.

If your ANC is low, you can minimize your risk of infection by using an antibacterial soap and warm water, and scrubbing your hands for 15-30 seconds several times per day, and every time before you prepare food (4). If you have neutropenia, you should avoid raw meat, eggs and fish, moldy or expired food, unwashed or moldy fruit and vegetables, and unpasteurized beverages, including fruit and vegetable juice, beer, milk, as well as unpasteurized honey. You do not need to avoid fresh fruit and vegetables, because this practice has not been shown to reduce the number of major infections (5). However, you should wash these foods thoroughly before you eat them. The American Cancer Society’s recommendations for foods to avoid for neutropenia are available online, at: http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/PhysicalSideEffects/InfectionsinPeoplewithCancer/InfectionsinPeoplewithCancer/infectionsin-people-with-cancer-precautions?docSelected=infections-in-people-withcancer-neutropenia-and-infection-risk (6).

Good quality protein is important for cancer patients to include in their diet, because our bodies need the building blocks (amino acids) from the protein we eat to make the new WBCs.

If possible, consult with a Registered Dietitian (RD) at your cancer center for an individualized nutrition plan to address your needs during cancer treatment. The dietitian can review your food intake and ensure you are getting adequate protein and other nutrients during and after treatment.

If your diet is poor, or you are having a lot of trouble eating during treatment, you may benefit from taking a multivitamin and mineral supplement with vitamin B12 and folate. The body needs these two vitamins to make white blood cells (7). However, always talk to your doctor or dietitian before you take any dietary supplements, because some of these products should not be taken with certain chemotherapy treatments.

This information is not intended to take the place of consultation with a qualified health care practitioner. Always consult your doctor if you intend to change your diet or use of dietary supplements.

The original question and answer were generously donated by Diana Dyer, MS, RD a cancer survivor, registered dietitian, organic garlic farmer, and the author of "A Dietitian's Cancer Story: Information & Inspiration for Recovery & Healing from a 3-time Cancer Survivor.”

Question and Answer updated on behalf of the ON DPG by Jennifer McIver, April 2013, Kristy Gibbons MS, RD, CSP, CSO, LDN, April 2016

References, Websites, and Resources:

1. Ghosh SP, et al. “Amelioration of radiation-induced hematopoietic and gastrointestinal damage by Ex-RAD(R) in mice. J Radiat Res. 2012; 53(4): 526-36.
2. Thirumala, R, Ramaswamy, M, and Chawla, S. “Diagnosis and Management of Infectious Complications in Critically Ill Patients with Cancer.” Critical Care Clinics. 2010; 26(1), 59-91.
3. Grant, B and Byron, J. “Nutritional Implications of Chemotherapy.” In: Elliot, Laura, et al. The Clinical Guide to Oncology Nutrition 2nd ed, Chicago, Ill: American Dietetic Association, 2006: 74-75.
4. Neutropenia (low neutrophil count). University of Pennsylvania Medical Center. Available from http://www.upmc.com/patientsvisitors/education/cancer/Pages/neutropenia.aspx. Accessed 9/18/2012.
5. Gardner, A, et al. “Randomized comparison of cooked and non-cooked diets in patients undergoing remission induction therapy for acute myeloid leukemia.” J Clin Oncol. 2008; 26(35): 5684-8.
6. Infections in People with Cancer. American Cancer Society. Available from http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/PhysicalS ideEffects/InfectionsinPeoplewithCancer/InfectionsinPeoplewithCancer/ infections-in-people-with-cancer-precautions?docSelected=infectionsin-people-with-cancer-neutropenia-and-infection-risk. Accessed 9/18/2012.
7. Koiso, H, et al. “Chronic myelogenous leukemia accompanied by megaloblastic anemia showing atypical clinical features.” Rinsho Ketsueki. 2011; 52(11): 1772-6.

Page Update: April 2016

What vitamins improve white blood cell count?

Can vitamin D increase white blood cells?