Platelet Function Health

Platelets are tiny blood cells with irregularly-shapes that are produced in the bone marrow and whose main health function is to control bleeding since they take part in the blood clotting process (coagulation). Each platelet contains cytoplasmic granules and compounds that enhance their ability to stick to each other as well as adhere to tears and damage in blood vessel walls. Platelets normally circulate for about 10 days before being removed by the liver and spleen. The average healthy person has 150,000 to 300,000 platelets in each milliliter of blood.

If the health of the platelets deteriorates, Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) can result. This is a condition involving low platelet counts and platelets of poor quality.  Bruising, petechiae, and bleeding are some of the symptoms of low platelets. An adequate number of normally functioning platelets is needed for people with ITP to prevent leakage of red blood cells from apparently uninjured vessels as well to prevent a hemorrhage. In healthy individuals, antibodies are a healthy response to toxins like bacteria or viruses. For those with ITP, however, the antibodies attack the body's own blood platelets and are destroyed.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), practitioners believe the body can heal itself. It is believed that in order to achieve optimum health and vitality one needs to provide support for the body to create balance and harmony. Healthy platelets need support as well. In eastern medicine philosophies, promoting balance and good health can be better achieved through stress reduction activities (like yoga, tai chi or meditation), detoxification, adequate clean water, effective supplementation, healthy diet, exercise and other healthy and natural techniques.