Can eating beets every day boost red blood cells?

[montieth]

A friend who has a blood disorder which causes him to have too high an amount of red blood cells was told by his doctor to stop eating beets. He loves beets and eats them almost every day. This made me wonder for those of us that struggle to keep our red blood cells and hemoglobin up to the normal range could eating beets every day be the solution? Has anyone had any experience with this.

[SofiaDeo]

It might if you weren't eating other sources of iron, folic acid, and other nutrients needed to make red blood cells. But as our bone marrow is infiltrated with CLL cells, there aren't enough normal ones left (since the space is limited) to make new red blood cells. So one could have a "perfect" diet, yet still be anemic from CLL. Or anemia could be from a GI condition where absorption is impaired, even without having CLL.

If your diet isn't optimal, if you have any absorption issues (which occur anyway as we age), adding a super healthy food like beets instead of other less nutritious choices, (like, say, swapping beets for potatoes) may make a difference. But it's not guaranteed.

[kaymack in reply to SofiaDeo]

Dr. Brian Kofman told me at the Live Conference in 2012, that CLL patients shouldn't take iron supplements unless their ferritin levels were low, as low Haemaglobin is not usually caused by a lack of iron in CLL patients; but was due to the CLL cells crowding out the red cell production in the marrow. Too much iron can cause symptoms like that of Hemochromatosis, including organ damage.

[ArtistBlacksmith]

I tried a range of things that are supposed to increase platelet production but none of them worked. I think the CLL is just far more powerful than our ability to produce healthy cells, so concluded that if we can't produce enough healthy cells on a good balanced diet, adding more "cell production" foods is not going to help.

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator in reply to ArtistBlacksmith]

When the available blood cell manufacturing space in the bone marrow becomes more and more crowded out by CLL cells, providing additional raw materials isn't going to help. Eventually, the time arrives for a big clear out, that is, treatment with something proven to penetrate the bone marrow and overcome the CLL cells' protective tumour microenviroment. This is why two of the triggers for starting treatment are haemoglobin and platelet counts falling below internationally agreed thresholds.

Neil

[Adlucy]

I never used to like beetroot and was unaware of its benefits. Then one day a friend of mine who is well over 80 and plays competitive badminton happened to say how she drank beetroot juice if she was flagging and it revived her energy and that it was a super food for her. I have since taken to including it in my diet and have found it does give me energy. I haven't had my bloods done recently so it will be interesting to see any effects.

I also eat a lot of pomegranate seeds.

[BigDee in reply to Adlucy]

Hello Adlucy

To each their own. beetroot tastes so bad it is almost worth having the CLL.

[Flylikeabird727 in reply to BigDee]

I drink 8 ounces every day. I actually like it. Try holding the nose.👍👍👍

[Adlucy in reply to BigDee]

I think I have just grown to like it. I must admit that as you can buy it sliced in a jar has probably contributed.

[Stamphappy]

I drink beetroot/carrot juice every morning. I frequently make roasted beets, sweet potatoes, onions, and carrots together.For me, it is an energy boost. My system gets very sluggish without it. Other than a slowly increasing ALC, currently 22, labs are good.

A good diet is very important. No, it won't cure CLL. However, a well rounded diet keeps us as strong as possible- We need all the help we can get. Listen to your body. Discuss your labs with your team and be the best you can be 😉.

[Adlucy in reply to Stamphappy]

Interesting. My system is less sluggish since I have started to include it more in my diet!

[Astro617]

One other note about beets, if you are prone to kidney stones they are a risky food to eat daily. Beets are high in oxalates.