Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Reduce platelets through your diet and lifestyle
• Method 2 of 2: Reduce platelets through medications and treatments
• Tips

Platelets, also called thrombocytes, are so small that they make up only a tiny fraction of the total blood volume. They mainly keep you from bleeding by making the blood clot. In rare cases, however, one can develop a condition in which the bone marrow produces too many platelets, or thrombocytosis. This can cause large blood clots that can cause health problems such as strokes and heart problems. Start with Step 1 below to find out how you can reduce platelet counts in your blood through diet, lifestyle and medical resources.

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Method 1 of 2: Reduce platelets through your diet and lifestyle

1. Eat raw garlic to reduce the number of platelets in your blood. Raw and crushed garlic contains a substance called allicin, which causes your body to produce fewer platelets, thus lowering the number of platelets in your blood.
   • Your body responds to the smaller amount of platelets by strengthening the immune system, which helps protect the body from entering invaders such as viruses and bacteria.
   • Cooking garlic quickly reduces the amount of allicin in the garlic, so eat the garlic raw. Some people get an upset stomach when they eat raw garlic, so make sure you take the raw garlic with food.
2. Take gingko biloba to thin the blood. Gingko biloba contains substances called terpenoids that thin the blood and prevent blood clots from forming.
   • Gingko biloba also helps improve blood circulation and makes your body produce more warfarin, which helps dissolve blood clots.
   • You can buy gingko biloba as a food supplement in the form of a liquid and capsules. You can buy these nutritional supplements at drugstores and health food stores.
   • If you can get gingko biloba leaves, you can boil it in water for 5 to 7 minutes and drink the water as a tea.
3. Use ginseng to prevent blood clots from forming. Ginseng contains ginsenosides, which are substances that help reduce platelet aggregation and thus prevent blood clots from forming.
   • Ginseng can be purchased in capsule form at drugstores and health food stores. Ginseng is often also added to foods and drinks that give you more energy.
   • Some people may experience insomnia and nausea from eating ginseng, so you will need to try it for a while to see how your body reacts to it.
4. Eat pomegranates to reduce platelet count. Pomegranates contain substances called polyphenols that reduce the number of platelets in your body and prevent blood clots from existing platelets.
   • You can eat whole, fresh pomegranates, drink pomegranate juice, or add pomegranate extract to your food.
5. Eat fish rich in omega 3 fatty acids to reduce platelet production. Omega 3 fatty acids make the platelets less active, thin the blood and reduce the risk of blood clots forming. Fish and seafood such as tuna, salmon, scallops, sardines, shellfish and herring are all high in omega 3 fatty acids.
   • Eat two or three servings of this fish per week to get the recommended weekly amount of omega 3 fatty acids.
   • If you don't like fish, you can get more omega-3 fatty acids by taking supplements containing 3,000 to 4,000 milligrams of fish oil every day.
6. Drink red wine to reduce the risk of blood clots. Red wine contains flavonoids, which come from the skins of red grapes during the wine making process. These flavonoids prevent the overproduction of cells in the tissue on the artery wall (a process caused by an excessive amount of platelets in the blood). This reduces the chance of blood clots forming.
   • Half a standard glass of wine (about 175 ml) contains one unit of alcohol. Men should drink no more than 21 units of alcohol per week and no more than four units per day.
   • Women should drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week and no more than three units per day. It is important for both men and women not to drink alcohol for at least two days a week.
7. Eat fruits and vegetables with salicylates that help thin the blood. Fruits and vegetables with salicylates help thin the blood and prevent blood clots from forming. They also strengthen the immune system and help to maintain a normal amount of platelets.
   • Vegetables containing salicylates include cucumber, mushrooms, zucchini, radishes and alfalfa.
   • Fruits that contain salicylates include all types of berries, cherries, raisins, and oranges.
   • Eating shiitakes is a good natural option for reducing platelet counts.
8. Add cinnamon to your dishes to reduce platelet aggregation. Cinnamon contains a substance called cinnamic aldehyde which is known to reduce platelet aggregation and therefore reduce the risk of blood clots.
   • Add ground cinnamon to dishes you bake and stewed vegetables. You can also cook a cinnamon stick in tea or wine.
9. Quit smoking to avoid blood clots. Smoking increases the risk of blood clots forming because cigarettes contain certain harmful substances, such as nicotine. Smoking makes the blood thicker and the platelets clump together.
   • Blood clots in the blood often cause serious health problems such as heart problems and strokes. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do to prevent blood clots from forming.
   • Quitting is difficult and is not something you can do in a day. Read this article for helpful advice on how to quit smoking.
10. Drink coffee to reduce the amount of platelets. Coffee lowers the amount of platelets in the blood and prevents platelet aggregation.
    • The effect is not caused by caffeine, but by phenolic acids. Therefore, you can still benefit from coffee if you drink decaffeinated coffee.

Method 2 of 2: Reduce platelets through medications and treatments

1. Take blood thinners prescribed by your doctor. Under certain circumstances, your doctor will prescribe blood-thinning medications. These drugs make blood thinner, prevent platelet aggregation and the formation of blood clots. Some of the most commonly prescribed medications are:
   • Aspirin
   • Hydroxyurea
   • Anagrelide
   • Interferon alpha
   • Busulfan
   • Pipobroman
   • Phosphorus-32
2. Undergo a treatment called thrombocyte apheresis. In an emergency, your doctor may recommend a treatment called thrombocytapheresis, which quickly lowers the platelet count.
   • During thrombocyte apheresis, an IV is placed in one of your veins to draw blood. This blood then passes through a machine that removes the platelets from the blood.
   • This blood without platelets is then returned to the body by means of a second infusion.

Tips

• To measure the number of platelets, blood is taken from you, which is then sent to a laboratory for testing. A normal amount of platelets is 150,000 to 350,000 per microliter of blood.
• Dark chocolate is also thought to lower platelet production, so try eating one or two cubes of chocolate after dinner.