Your blood contains three major cell types: platelets, white blood cells and red blood cells. Platelets clump together to form blood clots or scabs to begin healing after an injury, while white blood cells make up a part of your immune system and fight infection. Red blood cells, also called erythrocytes, carry oxygen from your lungs to tissues throughout your body. Red blood cells live about four months, so your body must constantly create new ones to replace the aged and dying cells. Proper nutrition helps ensure your body can make the red blood cells it needs, with specific vitamins and minerals playing a role in red blood cell production. Several B vitamins help produce functional red blood cells. Vitamins B6, B9 and B12 all contribute to the production of hemoglobin, a protein abundant in erythrocytes. Each hemoglobin molecule contains four heme chemical groups, with each group able to carry oxygen. Vitamins B6, B9 and B12 activate enzymes that you need to properly form heme; a deficiency in any of these vitamins prevents healthy red blood cell formation. Get all in a good B complex formula. The minerals iron and copper are pivotal in making healthy red blood cells. Iron makes up the active part of heme; the iron molecule in each heme group directly binds to and carries oxygen. If you don’t eat enough iron, you cannot produce enough heme to make functional red blood cells. You also need copper to make heme; it helps make sure your cells have access to the chemical form of iron needed for red blood cells. Vitamin A, or retinol, helps support red blood cell development. All three types of blood cells originate from stem cells found in bone marrow. The presence of chemical factors determines if these stem cells form red blood cells, white blood cells or platelets. Vitamin A helps stems cells develop into red blood cells, ensuring that your body can produce enough red blood cells to replace those that die due to age
Posted on: Sun, 09 Mar 2014 09:21:06 +0000
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