Eating foods high in key nutrients, including iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12, and limiting alcohol may help increase your red blood cell count.


Red blood cells are the most common cells in human blood. They contain a protein called hemoglobin, which is responsible for carrying oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body.

The body produces millions of red blood cells each day in the bone marrow. They circulate around the body for about 120 days, then go to the liver and spleen, which destroy them and recycle their cellular components.

A low red blood cell (RBC) count means you have a low number of red blood cells, a condition known as anemia.

If your RBC count is low, your body has to work harder to deliver oxygen throughout your body.

Keep reading to learn more about how to increase your RBCs at home, how a doctor can help, and more.

What are the symptoms of anemia?

Symptoms of anemia could vary for each individual. According to the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS), the most common symptoms of anemia may include:

Anemia may increase your risk of several health complications, so it’s important to speak with a doctor if you’re experiencing symptoms. They may order a complete RBC count to check your levels.

Your body needs certain key nutrients to produce RBCs. Meeting your daily requirements for these nutrients supports your body’s RBC production.

However, it’s important to note that this won’t guarantee a higher RBC count. Anemia has many causes, and collective lifestyle and dietary habits are only one cause. Treatments for anemia will differ depending on the cause.

As part of your overall treatment plan, consider talking with a doctor or registered dietitian to make sure your diet meets the recommended intake for these nutrients:

Iron

Iron is essential for the body to produce RBCs. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), it’s available from foods in two different forms:

  • Non-heme iron: This type is found in plant-based foods and those fortified with iron.
  • Heme iron: This type of iron combines with a compound called protoporphyrin IX. Heme iron is available in animal-based foods.

The NIH notes that your daily iron needs may be 1.8 times higher if you eat a vegan or vegetarian diet because your body can absorb more heme iron than non-heme iron. Heme iron is more bioavailable.

That said, non-heme iron is better absorbed when taken with foods high in ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Calcium-rich foods like dairy products may inhibit the absorption of both heme and non-heme iron.

Iron-rich foods include:

  • lean meat
  • seafood
  • poultry
  • iron-fortified breads and cereals
  • nuts
  • spinach
  • beans
  • lentils
  • raisins

Learn more about 12 foods high in iron.

Folic acid

Getting enough B vitamins like folic acid in your diet may be beneficial. Foods high in vitamin B9 (folic acid) include:

  • enriched breads and cereals
  • dark, leafy greens like kale, spinach, collard greens, and mustard greens
  • liver
  • Brussels sprouts
  • asparagus

Learn more about 15 foods high in folic acid.

Vitamin B12

Foods high in vitamin B12 include:

  • meat
  • poultry
  • fish
  • dairy products such as milk and cheese
  • eggs
  • fortified products such as cereals and nutritional yeasts

Vitamin B12 is found in animal and dairy products. If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, you may need to take vitamin B12 supplements to meet the recommended allowance.

Copper

Copper intake doesn’t directly support RBC production, but it can help your RBCs access the iron they need to replicate. Foods high in copper include:

  • shellfish
  • liver and other organ meats
  • whole grain products
  • wheat bran cereals
  • chocolate
  • nuts
  • seeds

Vitamin A

Vitamin A also helps iron get to your RBCs. Foods rich in vitamin A include:

  • fish
  • eggs
  • liver
  • dairy products
  • leafy green vegetables
  • orange and yellow vegetables
  • tomato products

What foods should you avoid if you have low red blood cells?

Proteins found in certain foods, such as milk, eggs, and soybeans, may impact the absorption of certain nutrients when taken together, which could affect your RBC.

If you have anemia, consider limiting your intake of the following foods:

  • dairy products
  • alcohol
  • tea and coffee
  • pomegranate juice
  • dark chocolate
  • red wine grapes

Spacing out your meals during the day could also help prevent issues with nutrient absorption.

If your diet alone does not provide enough nutrients, taking certain supplements may help increase your RBC production or support related processes in your body.

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, prescription supplements for iron and vitamin B12 may help treat some types of anemia. A doctor will discuss this with you based on your specific situation.

It’s important to note that some supplements can interact with medications you may be taking, so be sure to get a doctor’s approval before adding any to your regimen. The recommended allowance for some nutrients may also change during pregnancy or while breastfeeding (chestfeeding).

Never take more than the recommended dosage found on the product’s label.

Supplements a doctor may suggest include:

Iron

Iron deficiency commonly causes low RBC production, a condition known as iron deficiency anemia.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for females ages 19 to 50 years is 18 milligrams (mg) per day. For males ages 19 to 50 years, the RDA is 8 mg per day.

Learn more about iron supplements for anemia.

Vitamin C

This vitamin may help your body better absorb iron. The RDA for vitamin C is 90 mg for males and 75 mg for females ages 19 years and older.

Learn more about vitamin C supplements.

Copper

There may also be a link between low RBC production and copper deficiency. For adults ages 19 years and older, the RDA for copper is 900 micrograms (mcg) per day.

Vitamin A (retinol)

For females ages 19 years and older, the RDA for vitamin A is 700 mcg per day. For males ages 19 years and older, the RDA increases to 900 mcg.

Vitamin B12

The RDA for people ages 14 years and older is 2.4 mcg of this vitamin per day.

Vitamin B9 (folate)

For people ages 14 years and older, the RDA for folate is 400 mcg of dietary folate equivalents (DFEs). The DFE measurement is used because folate supplements are absorbed differently than food sources.

The RDA is higher for people who are pregnant or lactating because folate plays a key role in reducing the risk of neural tube defects and other complications. The RDAs are:

  • Pregnancy: 600 mcg
  • Lactating: 500 mcg

Talk with a doctor or dietitian to make sure you’re getting the right amount.

Vitamin B6

This vitamin plays an important role in synthesizing hemoglobin, one of the proteins contained in RBCs. The RDA for adults ages 19 to 50 years is 1.3 mg for vitamin B6.

Vitamin E

For people ages 14 years and older, the RDA is 15 mg per day. Vitamin E may help protect blood cells from damage.

Staying physically active, such as getting regular exercise, may be beneficial if you have anemia.

A small 2017 study suggested that doing cardiovascular exercise for 30 minutes three times weekly, along with taking iron supplements, may be more effective at increasing RBC than only taking iron supplements.

That said, more research is needed on the possible benefits of exercising for RBCs.

In some cases, changes in diet or lifestyle alone aren’t enough to increase your RBC count. A doctor may recommend one or more of the following treatments:

A healthcare professional could help develop the best treatment plan for you.

RBCs are important to your body. If a doctor suspects your RBC count is low, they can order a complete RBC count to check your levels.

If you receive a low RBC count diagnosis, a doctor may recommend a combination of prescription supplements, medications, or other treatments to return it to normal.