How to Increase Red Blood Cell Count

Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, which is the molecule that carries oxygen to your cells. While an increased red blood cell count can be associated with medical abnormalities, people may, in some instances, wish to increase their red blood cell count voluntarily. When done in the proper context, an increased red blood cell count means more oxygen can be delivered to an individual's cells, which translates to the body's being able to do more work. Athletes are often among those who try to naturally increase red blood cell count. Read below to learn how to increase red blood cell count.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Exercise plan (see resource section)
• Iron
• Vitamin B-12
• Folate

1. Exercise regularly. Your body needs more oxygen when you exercise. Therefore, exercising on a regular basis sends messages to your body to increase red blood cell count. This allows your body to deliver a larger amount of oxygen during subsequent exercise sessions.

2. Make sure you consume proper levels of iron. Hemoglobin relies heavily on iron to help transport oxygen to your cells, so not having the proper iron levels decreases red blood cell count. Normal iron levels will vary according to age and sex.

3. Consume the proper levels of Vitamin B-12 and folate. These compounds are important in the production of red blood cells. Thus, if you want to increase red blood cell count, you won't want to skimp on the fish and fortified breads. As with iron, proper vitamin B-12 and folate levels vary according to age and sex.

4. Train at higher altitudes. Oxygen is less abundant at higher altitudes, so your body's natural response is to increase the number of red blood cells. Doing this increases the amount of oxygen that can be delivered to your body's cells.

Resources

• Marilyn Brodeur
• How to Plan a Workout