Markers:

RBC count (red blood cells)

MPV (mean platelet volume)

NLR (neutrophil lymphocyte ratio)

RDW (red cell distribution width)  

Hgb (hemoglobin)

MCV (mean corpuscular volume)   

What do the markers mean?

RBC count: When the red blood cell count is even slightly low it may indicate an accumulation of fat cells within the bone marrow. An excessive number of fat cells not only crowds out RBC-forming stem cells (hematopoietic stem cells), but also leads to an increase in the level of PPAR- gamma, a protein that stimulates the osteoclasts to break down bone. In addition, a low RBC count may indicate a reduced number of bone-forming osteoblast cells because osteoblasts play a central role in hematopoiesis by releasing red blood cell growth factors.

MPV: Elevated MPV is an early marker for platelet cell activation seen in low-grade inflammation. It is low-grade chronic systemic inflammation that is the main fuel behind all chronic disease, including osteoporosis.

NLR: An elevated neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio is an indicator of chronic systemic inflammation and is negatively associated with bone mineral density. NLR greater than 2.5 is correlated to low bone density.

RDW: The size of red blood cells becomes more variable with age and the RDW is an indication of this variability. An RDW greater than 15% carries a greater risk for fracture. (Kim, K.M., et al. 2019 ASBMR Ann Meeting Abstracts, #1069)

Hgb: Abnormal hemoglobin levels can indicate too much or too little iron in the body. This can impact skeletal health by increasing osteoclastic activity, leading to bone loss.

MCV: This is a measure of the average size of red blood cells. When elevated, it may indicate a deficiency in vitamin B-12 and/or folate. Pernicious anemia is a condition that reduces the absorption of vitamin B-12 and calcium. Vitamin B-12 has a direct influence on osteoblastic bone-building activity. An elevated MCV is a flag to look at homocysteine, a protein metabolite that contributes to chronic systemic inflammation and reduced bone quality.

When it comes to bone health finding a doctor who understands the importance of blood work, has the knowledge to connect the dots as to the reason why you have bone loss, and follows your case is key.

Is Dr. McCormick’s blog post helpful in understanding the importance of bloodwork in addition to your DXA and Trabecular Bones Score (TBS)?

Looking for food information on how to feed your bones?  Please join my Free Osteoporosis and Food Facebook page.   

I post weekly on Food for Healthy Bones.   

You can do that HERE

From my bones to yours,

Irma Jennings, INHC

Holistic Bone Coach

Can you really reverse bone loss naturally?  Without medication?  I get these questions all the time.

And today I want to share some pretty exciting news.

Drumroll, please…..

Doing just 10 minutes of yoga a day can make the difference between bone loss and bone growth.  Here’s how I know. (more…)