Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAbout Low PlateletsFood and PlateletsDietary StrategiesFoods to EatFoods to AvoidSupplements for Low Blood Platelets
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
About Low Platelets
Food and Platelets
Dietary Strategies
Foods to Eat
Foods to Avoid
Supplements for Low Blood Platelets
If you have a low platelet count (thrombocytopenia), eating certain foods may help increase your count. While there is no “low platelet diet” per se, good nutrition plays a central role in the synthesis, production, and function of these blood-clotting cells.
Increasing your intake of vitamin C, folate, iron, and other essential nutrients may improve your platelet count and help your platelets (thrombocytes) function more effectively. Low platelet treatment foods include whole grains, fresh fruits, nuts, legumes, and vegetables—especially leafy green ones, which are excellent sources of vitamin K.
This article explains how diet factors into your platelet count and lists the foods you should eat and avoid if you have thrombocytopenia.
Verywell / Theresa Chiechi
What Does It Feel Like to Have a Low Platelet Count?
A low blood platelet count, or thrombocytopenia, occurs when your blood platelet count is less than 150,000 platelets per microliter.
Platelets are tiny blood cells made in the bone marrow that play an essential function: They stick together to form a blood clot and seal a wound. If you have thrombocytopenia, you may have trouble stopping bleeding, which can be life-threatening.
What Causes Thrombocytopenia?
Low blood platelet levels can occur when the body does not make enough blood platelets or platelets are being destroyed in the bloodstream, spleen, or liver.
Signs of Thrombocytopenia
Thrombocytopenia typically does not have obvious symptoms, though it can cause excessive bleeding. This can appear as:
A Word From VerywellPlatelets are essential for proper clotting. They are part of our body’s early response system to stop bleeding when an area of the body is injured, such as a cut or scrape to the skin. If there are not enough platelets, delayed clotting and excessive bleeding can occur. Nutrition plays a role in nourishing our platelets to do their best to protect us from injury. A diet containing vitamin K, vitamin C, and vitamin D, among other compounds, supports platelet function.—STEFFINI STALOS, DO, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
Platelets are essential for proper clotting. They are part of our body’s early response system to stop bleeding when an area of the body is injured, such as a cut or scrape to the skin. If there are not enough platelets, delayed clotting and excessive bleeding can occur. Nutrition plays a role in nourishing our platelets to do their best to protect us from injury. A diet containing vitamin K, vitamin C, and vitamin D, among other compounds, supports platelet function.—STEFFINI STALOS, DO, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Platelets are essential for proper clotting. They are part of our body’s early response system to stop bleeding when an area of the body is injured, such as a cut or scrape to the skin. If there are not enough platelets, delayed clotting and excessive bleeding can occur. Nutrition plays a role in nourishing our platelets to do their best to protect us from injury. A diet containing vitamin K, vitamin C, and vitamin D, among other compounds, supports platelet function.
—STEFFINI STALOS, DO, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Relationship Between Diet and Platelets
Nutrition plays a vital role in producing blood platelets. By improving nutrition, you may be able to reverse low platelet counts and improve platelet function.
Vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are important for the development of healthy blood platelets include:
Dietary Strategies for Low Platelets
Much of the current research into nutrition and platelets is focused on people withidiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP). This is a condition in which the body’s immune system spontaneously attacks its platelets.
Among the proposed dietary strategies for ITP are theMediterraneanand macrobiotic diets. The Mediterranean diet is nutrient-dense and includes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, and olive oil. Macrobiotic diets focus on high fiber and complex carbohydrates in whole grains and vegetables.
In both cases, adherence to these diets helped people with ITP achieve and maintain healthy platelet levels compared to those who didn’t eat the diets. (Note that there is no evidence that either diet can prevent ITP or treat ITP on its own.)
According to guidance from the Platelet Disorders Support Association, ITP and other forms of thrombocytopenia may benefit from the following eating strategies:
Meeting the recommended daily intake of vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients is key to good health. This includes the nutrients vital to the production of platelets.
Some foods and drinks can negatively affect platelet production. If you have a low platelet count or a platelet disorder, it is best to avoid the following foods:
If you are unable to get adequate nutrition through diet, talk to your healthcare provider about taking supplements. Folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin K supplements are particularly beneficial, according to the Platelet Disorder Support Association (PSDA).
Other supplements that may positively influence platelet counts or function include:
Before taking supplements, speak to your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Some supplements can interact negatively with medications.
Supplements to Avoid
Summary
While no diet is guaranteed to increase a low platelet count, eating foods rich in folate, vitamin B12, vitamin D, vitamin K, and iron may help. Probiotics and melatonin, 5-HTP, or chlorophyll supplements may also be beneficial.
If you have a low platelet count, focus on eating fresh, whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats. Also, try to limit your intake of alcohol, sugar, saturated fat, and high-sodium foods.
How to Increase Platelet Count Naturally
33 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institutes of Health: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombocytopenia.
U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Platelet count.
U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Thrombocytopenia.
Silczuk A, Habrat B.Alcohol-induced thrombocytopenia: Current review.Alcohol. 2020;86:9-16. doi:10.1016/j.alcohol.2020.02.166
McEwen BJ.The influence of diet and nutrients on platelet function.Semin Thromb Hemost. 2014;40(2):214-226. doi:10.1055/s-0034-1365839
Eisa MS, Al-Tikrity MA, Babikikir MM, Yassin MA.Thrombocytopenia secondary to iron deficiency anemia responding to iron therapy.Clin Case Rep. 2021;9(7):10.1002/ccr3.3983. doi:10.1002/ccr3.3983
Mohammed BM, Sanford KW, Fisher BJ, et al.Impact of high dose vitamin C on platelet function.World J Crit Care Med.2017;6(1):37–47. doi:10.5492/wjccm.v6.i1.37
Mishra VA, Harbada R, Sharma A.Vitamin B12 and vitamin D deficiencies: an unusual cause of fever, severe hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia.J Family Med Prim Care. 2015;4(1):145–8. doi:10.4103/2249-4863.152276
National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin K health professional fact sheet.
Zhang X, Gu S, You L, et al.Gut microbiome and metabolome were altered and strongly associated with platelet count in adult patients with primary immune thrombocytopenia.Front Microbiol. 2020;11:1550. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2020.01550
Mammadova-Bach E, Mauler M, Braun A, Duerschmied D.Immuno-thrombotic effects of platelet serotonin.IntechOpen. 2017. doi:10.5772/intechopen.69349
Cugliari G, Messina F, Canavero V, Biorci F, Ivaldi M.Relationship of chlorophyll supplement and platelet-related measures in endurance athletes: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.Sport Sci Health. 2018;14(2):449-454. doi:10.1007/s11332-018-0477-7
Yayasoglu I, Trugutkaya A, Bolaman Z.Chlorella-induced thrombocytopenia,Sao Paulo Med J.2018;136(6):602–3. doi:10.1590/1516-3180.2018.0263130918
Kistangari G, McCrae KR.Immune thrombocytopenia.Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2013;27(3):495-520. doi:10.1016/j.hoc.2013.03.001
Hernaez A, Lassale C, Castro-Barquero S, et al.Mediterranean Diet maintained platelet count within a healthy range and decreased thrombocytopenia-related mortality risk: a randomized controlled trial.Nutrients.2021;13(2):559. doi:10.3390/nu13020559
Platelet Disorder Support Association (PSDA).Diet and lifestyle.
Platelet Disorder Support Association (PSDA).Complementary treatments for people with ITP: Vitamins and other supplements.
National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements.Folate health professional fact sheet.
National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin B12 fact sheet for health professionals.
National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements.Iron health professional fact sheet.
National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin C professional fact sheet.
National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin D health professional fact sheet.
Meng X, Li Y, Li S, et al.Dietary sources and bioactivities of melatonin.Nutrients. 2017;9(4). doi:10.3390/nu9040367
National Institutes of Health: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Probiotics: What you need to know.
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP).
Chen C-Y, Lee M-Y, Lin K-D, et al.Diabetes mellitus increases severity of thrombocytopenia in dengue-infected patients.Int J Mol Sci. 2015;16(2):3820-3830. doi:10.3390/ijms16023820
Royer DJ, George JN, Terrell DR.Thrombocytopenia as an adverse effect of complementary and alternative medicines, herbal remedies, nutritional supplements, foods, and beverages.Eur J Haematol. 2010;84(5):421-429. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0609.2010.01415.x
Hwang S, Park H, Rhee K-J.High sodium diet and autoimmune diseases.Biomed Sci Lett. 2015;21(3):131-134. doi:10.15616/bsl.2015.21.3.131
Wang X, Chen T, Deng Z, et al.Melatonin promotes bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell osteogenic differentiation and prevents osteoporosis development through modulating circ_0003865 that sponges miR-3653-3p.Stem Cell Res Ther. 2021;12(1):150. doi:10.1186/s13287-021-02224-w
Esmaeili A, Toosi MN, Taher M, Bayani J, Namazi S.Melatonin effect on platelet count in patients with liver disease.Gastroenterol Hepatol Bed Bench.2021;14(4):356–61.
Lee D, Yu JS, Huang P, et al.Identification of anti-inflammatory compounds from Hawaiian noni (Morinda citrifoliaL.) fruit juice.Molecules. 2020;25(21):4968. doi:10.3390/molecules25214968
National Institutes of Health: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Noni.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
