High White Blood Cell Count And High Absolute Neutrophils – White blood cells play an important role in your body’s immune system, searching the blood for invading viruses, bacteria and fungi. When a virus or foreign bacteria enters your blood, the white blood cell (also known as a leukocyte), recognizes and destroys the invading particles before they can cause disease. There are several different types of white blood cells, each with their own function. Some directly destroy foreign bacteria, while others attack your own cells that are infected by viruses. Other types of white blood cells may even play a role in allergic reactions! What happens when you have elevated white blood cells? Since white blood cells fight infection, people tend to think that elevated levels are actually beneficial. This is not necessarily the case! A high white blood cell count is not a specific disease in itself, but can indicate an underlying problem, such as infection, stress, inflammation, trauma, allergy, or certain diseases. This is why a high white blood cell count usually requires further investigation. The InsideTrackerblood analysis measures your white blood cell count, and tells you if it’s in the optimal zone for you. If your white blood cell count is elevated, you should talk to your doctor. In addition to your total white blood cell count, InsideTracker also measures the different types of white blood cells, which can provide clues as to what may be causing your high white blood cell count. – blood The types of white blood cells include: neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils. Neutrophils, which account for about 70% of white blood cells, can increase in response to bacterial infections as well as to physical or emotional stress. A high lymphocyte count can occur when there is a viral or bacterial infection. An increase in monocytes may indicate chronic inflammation. Elevated levels of basophils and eosinophils may occur when there is an allergic response or in cases of parasitic infection. What are the symptoms of an elevated white blood cell count? The only way to truly determine if your levels are too high is to get your blood tested, either at your doctor’s office or through InsideTracker. People with a high white blood cell count (above normal), a condition called leukocytosis, typically have no specific symptoms, but may have a medical condition that is responsible for raising the levels white blood cells. The specific number for a high white blood cell count (above normal) varies from laboratory testing facility to another, but a general rule of thumb is that a count of more than 10,500 leukocytes in microliter of blood in adults is generally considered to be high, while 4, 500-10, 500 is considered in the normal range. Since a high white blood cell count (above normal) can be a symptom of another underlying problem, you may experience symptoms that are associated with that condition. However, people with leukocytosis can also experience a combination of these symptoms: fever, fainting, bleeding, bruising, weight loss, and general pain. What are the causes of an elevated white blood cell count? There are a few reasons why you may have a high (above normal) white blood cell count: Infection— As the bacteria or viruses that cause the infection multiply in the blood, your bone marrow produces more white blood cells to fight infection. The infection can also lead to inflammation, which in turn can cause the number of white blood cells to increase. Smoking or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) — Essentially, COPD means you have a lung and airway disease such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis that blocks proper airflow. It is commonly caused by cigarette smoking, which results in inflammation in the lungs and airways. As you have more inflammation in your lungs and airways, your body produces more white blood cells to fight it. Leukemia—Leukemia is a type of cancer that dramatically increases the number of your white blood cells. Leukemic white blood cells are often non-functional, which can increase the risk of infection in these cancer patients. Immune system disorders — Some autoimmune disorders such as Crohn’s or Graves’ disease can raise your white blood cell levels. If you have one of these conditions, your doctor should monitor your white blood cell levels. Stress — Finally, emotional or physical stress can also cause an elevated white blood cell count. The good news is that white blood cell levels will return to normal after the stress is gone. How does exercise affect your white blood cell count? If you had your blood tested right after working out, you may not have anything to worry about—your body actually increases your white blood cell count during exercise! In fact, this increase in the activity of your white blood cells may actually allow your body to identify disease-causing organisms faster than under normal circumstances, which is another benefit of exercise. Immediately after exercise, your levels of white blood cells increase in proportion to the intensity and duration of the workout. One study showed that runners’ white blood cell levels triple during a marathon. Since the amount of white blood cells then drops to its normal level after exercise, ideally you should wait a day after a heavy training session to do your blood test. What types of foods will help lower your high white blood cell count? What you eat also has an effect on your white blood cell count. To keep your levels under control, avoid eating foods high in fat, calories, sugar and salt (such as fast foods). Aim for foods high in antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, fiber, calcium, fish oils, mono-unsaturated fats, and low on the glycemic index. YourInsideTrackerPlan gives you recommendations for a variety of foods that meet your preferences and give you the nutrients you need. Some foods that have been shown to have an effect on reducing inflammation include garlic, grapes, herbs and spices, soy protein, nuts, olive oil, black and green tea, and vinegar. Aim to eat at least six servings of fruit and vegetables a day, which will greatly benefit your white blood cell levels. Other specific nutrients to add to your diet include: Omega-3 fatty acids — Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat (or PUFA) known to increase heart health and activity of phagocytes, a type of white blood. cells that protect you from foreign bacteria. Omega-3 PUFAs are found mainly in fatty fish such as trout, herring, and salmon, but also in walnuts and flaxseeds. Studies have shown that PUFAs significantly increased white blood cell counts in women on a controlled diet. Antioxidants — Antioxidants are a type of molecule that protects our cells against harmful molecules called free radicals, which damage cells, proteins and DNA (for example, free radicals cause the peeled apples turn brown). Eating more phytochemicals helps protect against this type of damage. Phytochemicals with antioxidant capacity include allyl sulfides (found in onions, leeks and garlic), carotenoids (in fruits and carrots), flavonoids (fruits and vegetables), and polyphenols (in tea and grapes). While they don’t work specifically to increase white blood cell counts, they do help support a healthy immune system. Vitamin C—Vitamin C helps the body produce more white blood cells, which in turn helps the body fight infections. All citrus fruits—including oranges, lemons and limes—contain vitamin C. You can also get vitamin C from other fruits, such as berries, papayas, pineapples and guavas, and vegetables, such as carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and bell peppers. In addition to these nutrients, you may want to invest in some non-alcoholic beer! Believe it or not, one study showed that drinking 1 to 1.5 liters of non-alcoholic beer for 3 weeks before and 2 weeks after running a marathon helps reduce both inflammation and white blood cell count. ! Whether you’re an athlete or not, use InsideTracker to find out your white blood cell levels so you can optimize your performance and overall well-being by taking the appropriate action if you find they’re high too much! Don’t forget to check out the free demo of InsideTracker here!

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White blood cells help fight infection and are essential for health and well-being. Changes in white blood cell levels can occur during infections, during pregnancy, and with some cancers.

A high white blood cell count may indicate that the immune system is working to eradicate an infection.

It can also be a sign of physical or emotional stress. People with certain blood cancers may also have high white blood cell counts.

Low Wbc Precautions Lpkewh

A low white blood cell count may indicate that an injury or condition is destroying cells faster than the body is making them, or that the body is

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