Why My White Blood Cell Count (WBC) Is Low?

In this video, I am going to briefly discuss the possible causes of low white blood cell count in adults.

White blood cells are produced in the bone marrow and are a part of the immune system. White blood cells help your body recognize pathogens and fight a variety of diseases and infections.
There are five major types of white blood cells:
* Lymphocytes
* Monocytes
* Eosinophils
* Basophils
* Neutrophils

40% to 60% of White blood cells are neutrophils. Neutrophils help the body fight infections. When bacteria or viruses enter the body, neutrophils travel to the site of infection, where they destroy the invading pathogens by engulfing them.

20% to 40% of white blood cells are lymphocytes. Lymphocytes include T cells, B cells and natural killer cells. They are responsible for antibody production, destruction of virus-infected cells and tumor cells and regulation of immune responses.

Monocytes travel through blood circulation to tissues in the body where they become macrophages or dendritic cells. Both macrophages and dendritic cells are important immune cells that help fight infections and boost immune responses.

Both eosinophils and basophils are involved in allergic inflammation.

The normal range of white blood cells in the blood is between 4,500 to 11,000 per microliter. The range varies slightly in different labs. A white blood cell count of less than 4,500 per microliter is considered low and is called Leukopenia. Most commonly, leukopenia is due to a decreased neutrophil count.

Although mild leukopenia can be normal for some healthy adults who have persistently low white blood cell count, a variety of medical conditions can cause leukopenia. They include:
* Viral or bacterial infections, for example: infections from HIV, Covid 19, flu, tuberculosis etc.
* Medications, such as antibiotics
* Vitamins or mineral deficiencies, for example, vitamin B12, folic acid, copper and zinc.
* Autoimmune disorders like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis etc.
* Certain cancers, for example, myelodysplastic syndromes, leukemia
* Certain congenital disorders
* Chemotherapy, radiation therapy
* Liver disease, an enlarged spleen
* Sarcoidosis
* Aplastic anemia
* Excessive alcohol consumption

Many people with leukopenia have no symptoms. In severe cases, people can have symptoms of infection such a as chills, fever and sweating. Further tests and physical exams should be performed in people with leukopenia to elucidate the causes. Treatment of contributing medical conditions, taking nutrition supplements in case of nutrition deficiencies, discontinuation of culprit medications and cutting down alcohol consumption can help resolve leukopenia.