Hey there, viewers.
Have you ever heard of leukopenia?
Neither have I.
Either way it’s something to be concerned about.
Leukopenia is a decrease in leukocytes.
These are the white blood cells, your body’s main defense against infection.
While there are many types of leukopenia, with various symptoms, there are specific
factors that cause a drop in cells.
Do autoimmune disorders contribute?
How about lack of vitamins and minerals?
What about treatments for things like cancer?
Let’s discuss 8 Causes of Leukopenia That You Should Be Cautious Of…
Radiation
This one is a little more to the extreme.
But I was going to bring it up either way, so buckle in.
Radiation therapy can cause a drop in white blood cells.
If you are suffering from diseases like cancer, you may receive radiation treatment or chemotherapy.
While we undergo these treatments for good reason, the side effects are endless.
These practices can generally affect your body’s cells.
Your white blood cells being among the particles that take the roughest beatings.
This triggers a type of leukopenia known as neutropenia.
Neutropenia describes a specific drop in neutrophil granulocytes.
These are your most abundant white blood cells.
During treatment, medical professionals make it a priority to check your white blood cell
count periodically.
This is how they stay on top of your body’s current state.
A normal white blood cell count is usually between 4.5 thousand and 11.1 thousand per
cubic millimeter (mm3).
If a doctor sees that your count is less than 1000, you are at a serious risk of infection.
Since losing white blood cells during therapy is normal, there really isn’t a way to prevent
it from happening.
What’s important is that once your count drops, you are taking the proper precautions
to not become infected.
Healthcare workers will normally outline some.
These precautions include washing your hands frequently, using mouthwash and avoiding people
as often as possible (especially those who are ill).
Anemia
I’m just throwing all these fancy conditions your way, aren’t I?
To be honest, I had to read up on some of them myself.
Anemia is a condition where your body lacks the proper number of red blood cells.
As it turns out, your white blood cells can also suffer a devastating hit.
While further testing does need to be conducted, studies have confirmed a link between leukopenia
and patients with anemia.
In one particular study, the records of patients with iron deficiency anemia were examined.
The information of 516 people was collected.
Out of those, leukopenia was found in 91% of the patients.
The leukopenia found in anemia patients is closely associated with a decrease in hemoglobin.
These are the red blood cells that carry oxygen to your body’s tissues and organs.
The next time you are at the doctor, ask them about anemia, and how it can specifically
affect your blood.
Do you find this video interesting so far?
Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel, hit the like button and ring the notification
bell to stay up to date on all our great Bestie content.
Tuberculosis
Patients suffering from this awful disease are known to have smaller white blood cell
counts.
Let’s talk about the details.
Tuberculosis, or TB for short, is a sickness affecting your lungs.
It is caused by slow-growing bacteria that accumulates in areas of the body which carry
blood and oxygen.
While the number of TB cases in recent years has certainly gone down, it is still terrifying
for those who must experience it.
Patients who undergo anti-tuberculosis treatment often experience leukopenia as a side effect.
A 2015 study was conducted on people with TB.
It highlighted just how significant the correlation was between the treatment and loss of white
blood cells.
Researchers discovered multiple factors including gender, vegetable consumption, use of antibiotics,
drinking and pulmonary infection.
These all played a role in the severity of leukopenia.
Female patients are particularly vulnerable to this condition.
Especially those at an advanced age.
If you are suffering from TB, and have a low count of white blood cells, it’s important
to increase your vegetable intake and avoid drinking alcohol.
You should also pay attention to the use of your antibiotics and treatment.
This is yet another thing to discuss with medical professionals.
Malnutrition
I hope you’ve been getting your vitamins and minerals, because guess what…
A deficiency can bring on leukopenia as well.
Malnutrition is another leading contributor in white blood cell deficiency.
This can occur when your body is missing out on vitamin-b12.
When it comes to maintaining your health, proper consumption of B-12 is crucial.
It increases your energy, helps improve your cognitive functioning and supports the health
of your bones.
It also plays a role in the growth of cells.
Vitamin B-12 deficiency has been linked with a loss of white blood cells.
To increase your B-12 content, start eating more meats like beef, liver and chicken.
Eggs are also useful.
Don’t forget other dairy items such as low-fat milk, cheese and yogurt.
Basically anything that comes from a farm has the power to assist you.
Other nutrient deficiencies associated with leukopenia include folate, zinc and copper.
Before we continue, have you been feeling lonely during quarantine?
Check out our recent video discussing 6 Ways To Beat Your Loneliness.
Now let’s continue our discussion of 8 Causes of Leukopenia You Need To Watch Out For.
Medication
If you are currently taking medication, your chances of leukopenia are heightened.
A common side effect of medical prescriptions is the drop in white blood cells.
I talked earlier about the dangers of radiation treatment.
These treatments on the other hand are ones you normally take from the comfort of your
home.
I mean anything from antithyroid meds, antimetabolites and chemotherapy drugs.
Antipsychotic medications such as clozapine have also been associated with leukopenia.
If you’re trying to get over your smoking addiction, watch out.
The medication Bupropion has also been noted for his contribution to the deficiency.
Epileptic patients and those with depression are also vulnerable to a drop in white blood
cells.
If you are currently on a medication, or are about to be, make sure you discuss with your
doctor the dangers they may pose to your white blood cells.
Bone Marrow Disease
If you are suffering from a type bone marrow disease, your white blood cells will be affected.
But what exactly is bone marrow?
You’ve had to have heard of it.
Marrow is the tissue found inside bones like the hip or thigh.
It is here that white blood cells are meant to flourish.
If the vessel that houses them is being threatened by an outside agent, the cells will begin
to die off.
Diseases that affect your bone marrow vary from leukemia, aplastic anemia and lymphoma.
With leukemia, your bone marrow will begin producing abnormal white blood cells.
When lymphoma enters the bone marrow, the rate at which your blood cells produce becomes
disrupted.
Over time, fewer and fewer white cells will exist.
There are some diseases that enter the bone marrow and have the exact opposite effect.
In those cases, too many white blood cells are produced.
Either way, you want a normal count.
Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is yet another condition that seems to invite leukopenia.
Just to clear things up, this describes a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects
your joints and more.
When this happens, your body’s tissues are damaged.
This is what leads to something called Felty’s syndrome.
Sounds kind of goofy, right?
It’s not.
Felty’s syndrome is a type of rheumatoid arthritis where leukopenia takes place.
As it progresses, your leukocytes are unable to properly function, which causes them to
decrease.
Keep in mind that rheumatoid arthritis can also cause the opposite reaction.
There are times that arthritis patients have blood tests conducted, and the doctor notices
a shockingly high amount of white blood cells.
This is due to the inflammation that is occurring in your joints.
In this case, your leukocytes have increased in quantity as a way to combat the infection.
Sarcoidosis
Here’s another one you’re probably unfamiliar with.
To be fair again, so was I. Sarcoidosis is the name given to an exaggerated immune response.
When this happens, small areas of your body will become inflamed.
It’s basically the response your body answers with when your immune system overreacts.
In certain cases, sarcoidosis will hit areas like your spleen and bone marrow.
From here, a number of reactions occur.
If this immune response touches your bone marrow, it can lead to leukopenia.
Your white blood cell count will decrease, leaving you open to several different infections.
Do you feel like you have a low blood count?
Are you lacking in vitamins and minerals?
Are there any treatments you are currently taking?
Let us know in the comments below.
We would love to hear from you!