There are many possible reasons for a low blood count, and several may coexist in one person. The primary test for blood counts called a complete blood count, or CBC, measures the concentration of red cells, white cells and platelets. A low blood...
A low blood cell count can refer to three different components in your blood. According to MayoClinic.com, when doctors check your blood cell count they look for white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. All have different jobs in...
If you have a low blood count you will have a reduced number of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets in your body, according to MayoClinic.com. White blood cells help ward off infection, while red blood cells deliver oxygen to your...
The bone marrow is the center of production of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. WBCs fight infections, RBCs carry oxygen throughout the body and platelets cause the blood to clot to prevent bleeding. Healthy bone marrow...
A low blood count, also known as anemia, is a lower than usual number of red blood cells in your body. Anemia is particularly common among older individuals. The National Anemia Action Council states about 10 percent of adults over 65 years old...
The technical term for low blood count is myelosuppression and it simply means blood levels are being suppressed. It can be caused by numerous factors, including treatments for cancer that directly affect bone marrow. Bone marrow is responsible...
Blood consists of protein-rich liquid and platelets, red blood cells and white blood cells, collectively known as formed blood elements. A complete blood count, or CBC, includes counts of the formed blood elements along with other measurements...
A low blood count, also known as reduced red blood cell volume or anemia, is a common health problem, especially among seniors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that 19 percent of nursing home residents suffer from this health...
The bone marrow produces and releases red blood cells, or RBCs, into the bloodstream. RBCs remain in the circulation for approximately four months before replacement with new blood cells. A normal red blood cell count depends on a matched balance...
Numerous conditions can cause low iron levels in a low blood count and weight loss. According to Dr. Dicken Weatherby, a naturopathic physician and author of the textbook "Blood Chemistry and CBC Analysis," total serum iron--the total amount of...
Leukopenia, also known as a low white blood cell count, is a medical condition that can reduce the effectiveness of the immune system. Because low white blood cell count can increase susceptibility to infections, it is important to find and...
Many cell types within the blood perform specialized functions throughout the body. White blood cells help make up the immune system and protect the body from infection. Red blood cells bind to oxygen from the lungs and distribute oxygen to...
White blood cells are the body's protection against infection and disease. They do not necessarily operate inside the bloodstream so much as they use the bloodstream to travel to where they need to go to be useful. White blood cells squeeze...
Red blood cells make up a portion of blood. A normal red blood count is 13.8 to 17.2 grams per deciliter; women have a lower red blood count, between 12.1 and 15.1gm/dL, according to Medline Plus, a publication of the National Institutes of...
Human blood contains three classifications of specialized cells: red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. The protein hemoglobin, the main component of red blood cells, carries oxygen throughout the body. Medications, conditions and...
White blood cells play an important role in the immune system as they scavenge the blood for invading bacteria, viruses and other foreign material. Low white blood cell counts, a condition called neutropenia, is usually mild and asymptomatic....
The function of white blood cells in the body is to fight infection. There are several different types of white blood cells that have different 'jobs' in the process of fighting viruses, bacteria and fungi that can infect the body. Your level of...
Thrombocytopenia, the medical term for a low blood platelet count, occurs when blood platelets die faster than they're reproduced. According to the Mayo Clinic, a healthy count ranges between 150,000 and 450,000 platelets for every microliter of...
A complete blood count, or CBC, includes the white blood cell count, red blood cell count, hematocrit, hemoglobin and platelet count. A CBC is a common blood test to diagnose and monitor a variety of medical conditions. There are many diseases and...
Protein is essential for living tissue. It accounts for 20 percent of body weight, according to the World's Healthiest Foods website, and is involved in a variety of functions. The recommended daily protein intake for the average adult is 46 to...
A low white blood cell count manifests in one of two conditions: leukopenia or neutropenia. In leukopenia, the total overall number of white blood cells decreases, while neutropenia involves a low count of the most abundant type of white blood...
White blood cells, also called leukocytes, help the body fight infection. Five types of white blood cells -- each with a unique disease-fighting purpose -- exist in varying amounts in the blood. The five types are basophils, eosinophils,...
White blood cells function to protect the body from foreign invaders such as bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. For the immune system to function properly, the body needs a sufficient number of white blood cells. Normally, stem cells in the...
Bone marrow creates white blood cells that help protect your body against infection. So, low white blood cell counts may put you at risk of getting an infection. You can use echinacea herbal therapy to raise your white blood cell count. However,...
White blood cells, or leukocytes, are the cells your body uses to fight off infections. There are different types of white blood cell, each responsible for fighting different microbes. For example, neutrophils help fight off bacterial infections,...
The number of circulating red blood cells in your body can decline following surgery or due to anemia, which is often caused by dietary deficiencies. For better health, re-balance your diet to add blood-building foods to those with broad-based...
Your blood contains hundreds of different proteins, each responsible for a specific task. A total blood protein level represents the sum of all these different proteins and the fine balance between protein synthesis and loss that is constantly...
A low white blood cell (WBC) count, known as leukopenia, can be caused by diseases such as leukemia, cancer, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and some medications, according to the Mayo Clinic. Normal white blood count is 5,000 to 10,000 WBCs per...
A low white blood cell count is usually found when a doctor orders blood tests. White blood cells, or leukocytes, attack foreign cells and prevent them from causing an infection. A low count of white blood cells is a symptom of an illness, but is...
Chronic kidney disease is caused by a variety factors but is a preventable disease. In this video learn more about its various forms and how it can be prevented and treated.
Childhood cancers are hard to indentify, but seventy five percent of childhood cancers can be cured. Learn about childhood cancers in this video.