10 replies to this topic

[albedo]

I would need your help to interpret a result after my annual blood works.

 

I have a low leucocytes count (3.6 G/L, range 4.0-11.0) and wonder about your knowledge/experience with this.

 

Neutrophils obviously also lowered (as they count for the most fraction of WBC) but are in norm. I always had total leucocytes it in the low normal and 10 years back or so several time also outside norm. I am a bit concerned as my father suffered from leucopenia toward the end of life and I might be at increased risk of infections. There are thoughts in the literature (can retrieve that) about lowering the norm as it is a marker of chronic inflammation but it did not happen. I did introduce recently some intermittent fasting and I read in this community CR might lower the number. All typical inflammation markers (hr-CRP, ferritin, ESR, ..) are very fine and actually some also slightly lowered. I am currently 64, eat healthy, exercise and supplement. I also use a low dose metformin. I am in good general health but unfortunately do also have some conditions related, fighting an asymptomatic chronic pulmonary infection which requires control and infrequent herpes fire ups, so I am very careful to prevent acute infections and monitor immune/inflammatory markers.

 

Comments, suggestions? Thank you!

 

(edit: spelling)

Edited by albedo, 27 July 2019 - 11:43 AM.

[Heisok]

aldebedo, I have also been curious about this issue for myself. In addition to you, on the same day, mikey posted about their low WBC count, and what worked for them:

 

"I avoided omega-6 sources in all regards, in restaurants, in my groceries, etc...My white blood cells were always at the very bottom of normal or just below normal. I didn't get sick, but it was notable in my blood tests over many years.

I did a comprehensive fatty acid test by Mayo Clinic and it showed low omega-6. I started taking a tablespoon of Life-Flo organic safflower oil to get a daily supply of omega-6. I've also added Dr. Adorable, Inc. Organic Pumpkin Seed Oil occasionally. 

When I have another comprehensive fatty acid test my omega-6 test it was in the normal range. As well, my white blood cells rose into the normal range. So THAT was what was causing my chronic low white blood cells! "

 

Post 494   https://www.longecit...-17#entry877235

 

My numbers run low, but the scale is lower for my lab. Even with a lower lab reference range (3.7-11.1)

 

11/2017 forward to 60 days ago:

3.9 3.9 4.5 3.7 3.8  

 As an aside, I wonder if even on low dose Metformin if you had B12 tested. Could possibly be an issue even if unrelated.. I wonder if C.R. restriction of Protein might be related to some showing low inflammation and/or lower WBC? For myself, I eat higher Protein to hopefully be one of several tools to avoid muscle loss as I get older. I am not claiming that higher Protein is needed. I am close to your age.

[albedo]

Thank you Heisok for sharing! Interesting hypothesis. My O6/O3 ratios has been decreasing over the past 15 years from about 5-6 to about 3-4, waiting for last FFA profile results. IgG normal at 8.5 (7-16) also down from past year but ref range quite large showing very individual variability to mount immune response.

No apparent issues with metformin and B12 but new results in progress.

Please keep posting here if you have something new.

[Andey]

Thank you Heisok for sharing! Interesting hypothesis. My O6/O3 ratios has been decreasing over the past 15 years from about 5-6 to about 3-4, waiting for last FFA profile results. IgG normal at 8.5 (7-16) also down from past year but ref range quite large showing very individual variability to mount immune response.

No apparent issues with metformin and B12 but new results in progress.

Please keep posting here if you have something new.

 

 

  I think its a genetic thing. I have lowerish WBC at 3.5 - 3.9 because of low neutrophil count, lymphocytes are ok.

It kinda worried me for a few years, then I collected enough data to conclude that its not that I am not capable of higher WBC, its the homeostasis point that my body maintains. When I am sick it goes up quick, after fasts it also goes up, then when everything is ok it stays below normal range.

  Surprisingly it skews the PhenoAge calculation in a favorable direction, probably because with age ratio of neutrofilles/lymphocytes increases and mine stays low. 

 

P.S. To be honest I still dont know what to make out of it)

Edited by Andey, 02 August 2019 - 04:29 PM.

[albedo]

  ...

  Surprisingly it skews the PhenoAge calculation in a favorable direction, probably because with age ratio of neutrofilles/lymphocytes increases and mine stays low. 

 

P.S. To be honest I still dont know what to make out of it)

 

Thank you. It is interesting what you say about the PhenoAge calculation. It is something I plan to do as soon as I gather all data but use Levine's Phenotypic Age as I do not have the methylation data for the DNAm PhenoAge estimate. Can you expand a bit more how you do the calculation? You might also refer to the Biological Age thread also on LC, e.g. here.
 

[Andey]

Thank you. It is interesting what you say about the PhenoAge calculation. It is something I plan to do as soon as I gather all data but use Levine's Phenotypic Age as I do not have the methylation data for the DNAm PhenoAge estimate. Can you expand a bit more how you do the calculation? You might also refer to the Biological Age thread also on LC, e.g. here.
 

 

Hmm.. maybe I ve missed something but Ive thought Ive used Levin`s PhenoAge and it doesnt require methylation data. Havent read this thread about biological age yet.

Ive used this calculator for it

https://www.longecit...attach_id=15847

It requires Albumin, Creatinine, fasting glucose,  CRP,  Lympocyte count, WBC count,  MCV,  RDW,  ALP and surprisingly chronological age is also an input(makes sense though as they calculate phenotypical age based on mortality rate)

[albedo]

Yes Andey, that is the calculator I also use as explained in my post. Levine calls it Phenotypic Age.

[albedo]

Probably 3.5 is the cut point below which we should start looking more carefully. There is a natural downward trend too. Also, what seems counting more is the partitioning and, as in my previous post, also looking at antibobies, in particular IgG for immune response.

 

See also from the well know Baltimore Longitudinal cohort on Aging:

 

 WBC.PNG   46.21KB   0 downloads

 

In conclusion, our study suggests a downward trend in WBC count only partially explained by behavioral changes that occurred in the BLSA participants over the period from 1958 to 2002. The age-specific mortality rate in each successive cohort of participants declined over the 44 years of follow-up, but we found little evidence that such a decline in mortality was due to the secular downward trend in WBC. However, by showing that participants with WBC >6,000/mm³ experienced higher mortality compared with those with 3,501 to 6,000 WBC/mm³, that the increased risk of mortality associated with high WBC was maintained over the entire follow-up period, and that subjects who died had progressively higher neutrophil count compared with those who survived, our study suggests that differential WBC counts should be systematically screened and factored in the cardiovascular risk profile and ultimately considered in clinical decisions concerning prescription of preventive interventions.

 

Ruggiero C, Metter EJ, Cherubini A, et al. White blood cell count and mortality in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2007;49(18):1841-50.

[Andey]

Probably 3.5 is the cut point below which we should start looking more carefully. There is a natural downward trend too. Also, what seems counting more is the partitioning and, as in my previous post, also looking at antibobies, in particular IgG for immune response.

 

See also from the well know Baltimore Longitudinal cohort on Aging:

 

WBC.PNG

 

In conclusion, our study suggests a downward trend in WBC count only partially explained by behavioral changes that occurred in the BLSA participants over the period from 1958 to 2002. The age-specific mortality rate in each successive cohort of participants declined over the 44 years of follow-up, but we found little evidence that such a decline in mortality was due to the secular downward trend in WBC. However, by showing that participants with WBC >6,000/mm³ experienced higher mortality compared with those with 3,501 to 6,000 WBC/mm³, that the increased risk of mortality associated with high WBC was maintained over the entire follow-up period, and that subjects who died had progressively higher neutrophil count compared with those who survived, our study suggests that differential WBC counts should be systematically screened and factored in the cardiovascular risk profile and ultimately considered in clinical decisions concerning prescription of preventive interventions.

 

Ruggiero C, Metter EJ, Cherubini A, et al. White blood cell count and mortality in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2007;49(18):1841-50.

 

Nice find!

[albedo]

It looks like (at least if you are an intense excercise trainer) hot saunas help increasing very quickly the WBC count. Might this be a good strategy preparing for winter season and its loads of infection risks? Nordic countries traditions might be for something here. It also reminds me the anti-aging role of HSP (Heat Shock Protein) also discussed in this Forum (search for HighDesertWizard's posts). It might be a more efficient intervention than buying supplements: in any case I also report here what LEF recommends:

 

Pilch W, Pokora I, Szyguła Z, et al. Effect of a single finnish sauna session on white blood cell profile and cortisol levels in athletes and non-athletes. J Hum Kinet. 2013;39:127-35.

 

 WBC sauna.PNG   43.67KB   0 downloads

 

"...In the white blood cell profile, these authors found a statistically significant increase in neutrophils, lymphocytes, basophils after sauna bathing (only in the athletes) (Table 5) and a reduction in the eosinophil count. Similar findings were reported by Ohira et al. (1981) who demonstrated that the total white blood cell count increases after a dehydration caused by passive overheating. They also reported that the number of eosinophils decreases compared with leukocyte count. The above scientists argued that the exogenous heat exposure is likely to have similar effect on the white blood cell profile compared to physical exercise (Ohira et al., 1981).

Lymphocytes are one of leukocyte fractions which perform essential role in the body immune system. The lymphocyte count in our study rose significantly in the group of trained men. One of the subpopulations of lymphocytes is natural killer lymphocytes (NK). Dayanc et al. (2008) found an increase in NK count as a response to the exposure to thermal stress.

Sauna bathing causes insignificant changes in monocyte count in the groups of trained and untrained subjects. However, an increase in monocyte count was significantly higher in the group of athletes. This might suggest a fast mobilization of cells in the first line of immune defence in this group of subjects..."

 

And LEF: "...Leukopenia and Thrombocytopenia:

• Shark Liver Oil: The alkylglycerols in shark liver oil have been shown to prevent the decline in leukocytes and thrombocytes in patients undergoing radiation treatment.
• Chlorophyllin: In patients with leukopenia, chlorophyllin was found to be as effective as a granulocyte-colony stimulating factor medication in the treatment of leukopenia.
• Astragalus: Astragalus was found to increase white blood cell counts in a dose-dependent manner in patients with leukopenia.
• Active hexose correlated compound (AHCC): Animal models of leukopenia have shown an increase in white blood cell counts and prolonged survival with AHCC supplementation..."
• https://www.lifeexte...sorders/page-01

[Andey]

 

It looks like (at least if you are an intense excercise trainer) hot saunas help increasing very quickly the WBC count. Might this be a good strategy preparing for winter season and its loads of infection risks? 

 

  For what it worth I never seen any signs that sauna increases WBC for me, at least for a few days after.

I suspect its more of a immediate reaction that goes away fast. and I am not much of an athlete too )

I do sauna at least two times a week and havent seen any WBC bumps, though I dont recall doing tests next day after sauna session.