What to eat when white blood cell count is low
Jun 25, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Ziqi
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, patients with low white blood cell counts can consume nutrient-rich foods such as shiitake mushrooms, red dates, peanuts, beef, and spinach. Additionally, under a doctor's guidance, medications such as Leucogen tablets, Batilol tablets, Vitamin B4 tablets, Dihuang Shengbai tablets, and Compound Zhaofan pills may be taken to increase white blood cell production and enhance immunity. Patients with low white blood cell counts should focus on balanced nutrition in their diet.
Generally, for individuals with low white blood cell counts, consuming nutrient-rich foods such as shiitake mushrooms, red dates, peanuts, beef, and spinach may help. Additionally, under a doctor's guidance, medications such as Licorice tablets, Shark Liver Oil tablets, Vitamin B4 tablets, Diyu Shengbai tablets, and Compound Zaofoin pills may be taken to increase white blood cell production and enhance immunity. The detailed explanation is as follows:
I. Foods
1. Shiitake Mushrooms
Shiitake mushrooms contain various active components such as lentinan, which can stimulate the immune system, enhance the activity of immune cells, and positively affect the production and function of white blood cells, helping to increase white blood cell counts and improve immune system weakness caused by low white blood cell levels.
2. Red Dates
Rich in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and various minerals, red dates contain iron, which promotes blood formation, and vitamin C, which enhances immunity. These components help the body maintain normal physiological functions and assist in the production and maintenance of white blood cells, thereby improving low white blood cell conditions.
3. Peanuts
The red skin of peanuts contains abundant oils, vitamins, minerals, and flavonoids. These components can promote bone marrow hematopoietic function, increase white blood cell production, and provide nourishment for individuals with low white blood cell counts.
4. Beef
Beef is an important source of high-quality protein, which serves as a fundamental building block for white blood cells. Adequate protein intake provides the raw materials necessary for white blood cell production and repair, helping maintain normal white blood cell counts and function, thus aiding in increasing white blood cell levels.
5. Spinach
Spinach is rich in nutrients such as folic acid, vitamin B12, and iron. Folic acid and vitamin B12 are involved in DNA synthesis, which is crucial for cell division and proliferation, thus aiding white blood cell production. Iron participates in hemoglobin synthesis, ensuring oxygen transport and supporting normal white blood cell metabolism.
II. Medications
1. Licorice Tablets
The main component, licorice, breaks down in the body into cysteine and phenylalanine. Cysteine enhances the function of the bone marrow hematopoietic system and promotes white blood cell production, while phenylalanine supplies essential raw materials for white blood cell synthesis, effectively increasing white blood cell counts.
2. Shark Liver Oil Tablets
These tablets work by promoting white blood cell proliferation. They directly act on bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells, stimulating their proliferation and differentiation, thereby increasing white blood cell production. They can be used to prevent and treat leukopenia caused by radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or other factors.
3. Vitamin B4 Tablets
Vitamin B4 is a component of nucleic acids and participates in the synthesis of DNA and RNA in the body. After administration, it promotes white blood cell proliferation and development, providing the necessary material basis for white blood cell production, thereby increasing white blood cell counts.
4. Diyu Shengbai Tablets
The main component is sanguisorba root. Sanguisorba root promotes the proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells, regulates immune function, stimulates bone marrow hematopoiesis, increases white blood cell production, and enhances white blood cell activity, improving the body's resistance.
5. Compound Zaofoin Pills
Composed of various traditional Chinese medicines such as zaofoin, American ginseng, and seahorse. Zaofoin contains trace elements like iron that promote blood formation, while American ginseng and seahorse regulate immune function. Together, they act on the bone marrow hematopoietic microenvironment, promoting the proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells and increasing white blood cell production.
Patients with low white blood cell counts should focus on a nutritionally balanced diet, consuming more foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and high-quality protein. Additionally, if medication is required for treatment, it should be done under the guidance of a doctor.
