A blood
clot is a basic physiological defense mechanism that occurs in all
vertebrates to prevent blood loss following vascular injury.
Note: Natural supplements are available that thin the blood and could be
an alternative to blood-thinning medications. However research in this area is
still early and it is very difficult to know which ones to take and in what
dosage. Each person is different and the whole topic is complicated. There
are no easy answers that apply to everyone.
Natural Supplements and
blood clots, how natural herbs can help thin the blood and reduce the need,
or dosage,
for aspirin and other anticoagulant medications
Certain supplements have blood thinning potential and should be
considered by doctors as a way to reduce the risk for blood clots. These natural supplements include:
Fish oils thin the
blood and have many other benefits. Eat cold water fish 2 or 3 times a week. Fortunately more doctors are recognizing the
benefits of omega-3 oils. An alternative to fish oils is krill oil. Caution is
advised when used with Coumadin.
Fish oil interaction with warfarin.
Shawnee Mission, KS of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.
Ann Pharmacotherapy. 2004.
A 67-year-old white
woman had been taking warfarin for over a year due to recurrent transient
ischemic attacks. Her medical history included hypothyroidism, hyperlipidemia,
osteopenia, hypertension, and coronary artery disease. She also experienced an
inferior myocardial infarction requiring angioplasty, surgical repair of
her femoral artery, and hernia repair. Prior to the interaction, her INR was therapeutic for 5 months while
she was taking warfarin 1.5 mg/d. The patient admitted to doubling her fish oil
dose from 1000 to 2000 mg/d. Without dietary, lifestyle, or medication changes,
the INR increased from 2.8 to 4.3 within 1 month. The INR decreased to 1.6 one
week after subsequent fish oil reduction, necessitating a return to the original
warfarin dosing regimen. Fish oil supplementation could have
provided additional anticoagulation with warfarin therapy. Fish oil, an omega-3
polyunsaturated fatty acid, consists of eicosapentaenoic acid and
docosahexaenoic acid. This fatty acid may affect platelet aggregation and/or
vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors. Omega-3 fatty acids may lower
thromboxane A(2) supplies within the platelet as well as decrease factor VII
levels.
Garlic could be helpful
and can thin the blood quite powerfully.
Onions, similar to garlic, have anti platelet activity.
indole 3 carbinol is a naturally occurring phytochemical found in cruciferous
vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, and kale.
Pine bark extract is a good option.
Nattokinase enzyme has
potent fibrinolytic activity. Only use nattokinase enzyme supplement under medical supervision.
N acetylcysteine
has anticoagulant and platelet-inhibiting properties.
Bee
pollen could thin the blood.
Chamomile herb is
mild to moderate in terms of its effect on blood clots and as an anti
platelet herb.
Cranberry juice, sauce or cranberry supplements thin the blood.
EGCG, the extract from
green tea, may prevent platelet aggregation almost as potently as aspirin.
Ginger is a very healthy herb to eat daily
and has mild anti platelet activity along with the ability to break down fibrin. Ginger supplements are available for sale and they can improve
blood flow through veins
and arteries.
Ginkgo biloba herbal
extract may have blood thinning potential although the research in this area is
not always consistent.
Nettle herb has anti platelet activity.
Propolis, the gummy substance collected by bees.
Rutin, a flavonoid.
Vitamin E may reduce the risk of blood clots in women. Supplementation with
vitamin E may reduce the risk of venous thromboembolism in women, and those with
a prior history or genetic predisposition may particularly benefit. However,
there may be a slight increase in hemorrhagic stroke.
This is
a partial list.
Q. Are natural herbs and supplements that thin the blood a
treatment for mild thrombosis?
A. They could be but it depends what the thrombosis is being caused
from, there are many causes for this which could be insignificant or very
serious.
Q. I have no illness but I take many herbal blood
thinners such as ginkgo biloba, green tea extract, grape seed extract, lutein,
fish oil and a few others. I wanted to know if
taking a lot of blood thinners can thin my blood too much and be a great risk.
How can I tell the potency of any herbal blood thinner so that if I know the
strength.
A. Research regarding the potency of different herbs and
supplements in terms of blood thinning potential has not been extensive. The blood thinning potential of
supplements also depends on the dosage used. One good way to tell how all of
these blood thinning supplements are working is to get a blood test to measure
your overall blood clotting ability. The effect of some may only last a few hours while others may have an effect
that lasts
several days. As a practical matter, though, it is rare to have a serious
bleeding problem with the use of natural supplements.
Q. I would like to know about foods or diet that would
give me the benefits of thinning my blood so that I will not have to continue to
take warfarin ( Coumadin ). I am taking it because I have been told of blood
clots in my leg and lung.
A. Although many herbs, foods and dietary supplements thin the
blood, it can be potentially dangerous to eliminate warfarin on one's own
without medical supervision.
My husband is 47 years old, not overweight, eats healthy whole foods, no high blood pressure, no problems with cholesterol, is not sedentary, and has been in overall good health. He has used juice plus, turmeric, and prostate 5LX, Sam-e, and 5 HTP on a regular basis. He had the flu over the weekend. Then on Monday morning he woke up and could not walk! The Drs at first thought it was a ruptured tendon. However an ultrasound revealed a DVT from mid-thigh to mid- calf. While it was recommended he be admitted to the hospital, we elected to treat at home (no insurance). Because of the seriousness we succumbed to 6 shots of Heparin. He has since been on Coumadin 7 mg. We are told he should take this for 6 months and the clot may or may not go away! We would really prefer a more natural route. Taking a prescription drug that may or may not help for 6 months goes against all we have been attempting to do to have a healthier lifestyle.
Q. I am taking 12.5 mg of warfarin daily because I have recurring blood
clots. I cannot get my INR into a therapeutic range 2 to 3 . It is presently
at 1.2 and fluctuates between 1.2 and 1.6 on average. However, at times it has
shot to 4.6. Too much info I know, but finally to my question, Do you know if
black licorice might be my problem? I eat natural black licorice frequently but
not daily. I never thought about it, but my husband mentioned it this morning.
A. We did a Medline search
and could not find any mention of any studies regarding the influence of black
licorice on clotting factors. It is possible that certain herbs influence blood
clotting but we don't know the effect of black licorice. One way to tell, if
your doctor approves, is to stop the black licorice for a period of time, check
the INR, and then resume the black licorice consumption and test the INR again.
I should tell you that I have been pretty accurate in the past at spotting anti-coagulants / blood thinners. I noticed a little more anticoagulation with Passion Rx. I ran into the same problem with Green Tea, Bilberry, high-gamma vitamin E, and Pycnogenol and when I looked them up on the internet, all four were labeled as anti-coagulants. Before I started on supplements, my blood was very thick. When I went to donate blood, they couldn't even get the full pint (or whatever amount they take) because my blood clotted up right away. But then I started taking supplements and noticed the need to monitor the potential blood thinning effects. I pay very close attention to it when I take my injection daily. I wouldn't have even mentioned the Passion Rx except that it appeared very clear and obvious. I still take alpha vitamin E, and 1200mg of Alpha Lipoic acid a day, and both of those can thin the blood so I think I am susceptible to start, and I think that is why I may spot blood thinners easily. It's not a downside to Passion Rx; perhaps older gentleman may take it as an alternative to taking an aspirin a day!
Q. I had stents in left coronary artery,
its nearly 6 months and I feel ok most of the time, I want to stop Plavix and
carry on with aspirin if it is safe to do so, but just in case can you suggest
alternatives to Plavix. I also take statin medication which I want to stop as it
seems to cause muscle and memory problems.
A. I am not able to provide specific advice, but perhaps you can
discuss the options on this page with your doctor.
Commonly prescribed blood thinner include
Rivaroxaban (Xarelto), Dabigatran (Pradaxa), Apixaban (Eliquis), Heparin
(various brands), and Warfarin (Coumadin). Also aspirin and Plavix (clopidrogel).
Other medications that thin the blood include:
Motrin, Advil or ibuprofen, Aleve or naprosyn, Alka Seltzer, Ticlid, Lovenox,
Celebrex, Voltaren, Vioxx.
Common causes
Obesity and smoking each raise a person's risk of potentially dangerous blood
clots in the veins. Circulation, 2010.
Too much sitting increases the risk.
Newer forms of the birth control pill -- brands such as Yaz, Yasmin and Desogen
-- are more likely to cause blood clots than older versions.
Air Travel and Blood Clots
Cramped conditions on aircraft can increase the odds of
developing potentially fatal blood clots but other factors may be involved. Low
pressure and low oxygen levels in aircraft may also contribute in some people to
the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT, often called "economy class
syndrome," usually develops in the legs and can be fatal if the clot dislodges
and moves to the brain or lungs. Activation of coagulation (clotting) occurs in
some individuals after an 8-hour flight, indicating an additional mechanism to
immobilization underlying air travel related to thrombosis. Concentrations of
clotting markers are higher in people after a long flight than they are after
sitting in the cinema for the same time or doing daily activities, particularly
in patients who had other risk factors for DVT. Travelers to avoid taking
sedatives or drinking too much alcohol during flights to reduce the risk of DVT.
Compressive stockings that improve blood flow could also help.
The chances of developing a blood clot or
deep vein thrombosis
double after traveling for four hours or more. Tall people whose legs are jammed
in economy class and the very short whose feet do not touch the ground are
particularly vulnerable to potentially dangerous blood clots linked to
immobility during travel.
The risk of getting a blood clot while sitting in a cramped
airline seat is about one in 4000 people. The risk of a blood clot increases as
people make more flights within a short time -- especially long-haul flights.
People aged under 30, women who use birth control pills and people who are
particularly short, tall or overweight have a higher risk.
When you're stuck in an airplane seat, your blood can pool in your feet, increasing the risk of developing a blood clot. If your flight is three hours or longer, take a walk through the cabin at least every 30 minutes when it's safe to do so. When sitting down, stretch your legs as much as possible.
Use of hormone replacement
therapy
A study of African American women shows that use of birth control pills
and other forms of hormonal contraception, and possibly the presence of the
sickle cell trait, increase the risk of venous thromboembolism -- blood clots
that form in the veins. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2009.
Blood clots after hospital
discharge
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is more common in the first few weeks following
hospital discharge than during the hospital stay itself.
Blood clot in heart
A blood clot in a coronary artery supplying blood to heart tissue leads
to a condition known as
myocardial
infarction or heart attack.
I recently had an conversation with my Cardiologist
regarding Atrial Fibrillation, not caused by a valve problem. Are there any
“natural” blood thinners that can be taken instead of low dose baby aspirin
(81mg) vs Eliquis that don’t have the side effects these two products have? This
type of A-Fib (electrical) can cause blood clots and I told him I would do some
research on this subject.
A. Some of the herbs mentioned in this article could be of help in
thinning the blood but a doctor's guidance is suggested.
Blood clot in leg
A deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot (thrombus) that develops in a deep
vein, usually in the leg. This can happen if the vein is damaged or if the flow
of blood slows down or stops. Deep vein thrombosis can cause pain in the leg,
and can lead to complications if it breaks off and travels in the bloodstream to
the lungs.
Blood clot in lung
When a blood clot travels to the lung, a patient may have no blood clot
symptoms, or may complain of sharp chest pain, rapid heart rate, blood-tinged
coughing, shortness of breath and low grade fever. Pulmonary embolism is a
serious condition that requires hospital admission.
Height influence
Men who are six feet tall or taller may have a higher risk of blood clots in
their veins than do their shorter counterparts, while height does not seem to
have an impact on women's risk. American Journal of Epidemiology, 2010.
Oral and patch contraceptives and
blood clot
Women who use a contraceptive patch appear to be more likely to develop a
dangerous blood clot in their veins as those who use an oral contraceptive. For
more information on birth
control pills.
Blood Clot drugs that prevent
Plavix is commonly
used to prevent blood clots, but is
aspirin a cheaper way to
prevent a blood clot? Is Plavix being used by doctors mostly because of a major
marketing push?
Risk of bleeding with the use of
multiple drug combinations
Heart patients are often given two or three different drugs to prevent
life-threatening blood clots but these combinations can significantly increase
the risk of stomach or intestinal bleeding. Clot-preventing drugs such as
aspirin, warfarin or Coumadin and clopidogrel or Plavix sold by Bristol-Myers
Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis are increasingly being given to heart patients in
combinations. Dr. Neena Abraham of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas,
used national pharmacy data and medical records from the Veterans Affairs
Department to identify people aged 60 to 99 who had been given four combinations
of clot-preventing drugs. Some got aspirin and an antiplatelet drug like Plavix
that keeps blood platelets from forming clots. Others got an antiplatelet drug
and an anticoagulant such as warfarin, which keeps the liver from making certain
clotting factors. Some got aspirin and warfarin. And a few were prescribed all
three. Of the more than 78,000 patients studied, 30 percent were prescribed some
combination of anticlotting drugs, and 1,061 of these had bleeding events that
needed immediate medical attention within the first year. The combination of an
anticoagulant and antiplatelet drug, which proved to be least harmful, raised
the risk of a serious bleeding problem within one year by 70 percent. A
combination of an aspirin and antiplatelet drug doubled the risk, while an
aspirin-anticoagulant combination tripled the one-year bleeding risk. And
patients who got all three drugs had a four-fold increase in the risk of
gastrointestinal bleeding within one year, according to Dr. Neena Abraham.
How long can a patient take Plavix and aspirin? I have
been on this combination for about 6 years. Any danger? Please advise.
There is no answer that would apply to everyone since each person
has a different medical history, blood clotting activity, and the dosages of the
medications, diet, other supplements used, etc., make a major difference.
There is bleeding risk associated with NOAC drugs dabigatran (Pradaxa), rivaroxaban (Xarelto) and apixaban (Eliquis). Nonvitamin K oral anticoagulants can increase hidden bleading in the brain and gastrointestinal tract, along with the urinary tract.
How a blood clot occurs
In all species the basic mechanism of clot formation is similar; when
endothelium is damaged a complex sequence of enzymatic reactions occurs that is
localized to the site of trauma and involves both activated cells and plasma
proteins. The reaction sequence is initiated by the expression of tissue factor
on the surface of activated cells and results in the generation of thrombin, the
most important enzyme in blood clot formation.
Thrombin converts soluble fibrinogen, via soluble fibrin monomers, into
the insoluble fibrin that forms the matrix of a blood clot as well as
exerting positive-feedback regulation that effectively promotes additional
thrombin generation that facilitates the rapid development of a thrombus.
Hemophilia is an inherited bleeding disorder.
Q. I often peruse your website for information on natural
health issues. I have a rare medical condition known as lymphangiomatosis and
have a shunt to manage chylous ascites. I am on rivaroxaban Xarelto to keep the
shunt patent. I know that obviously warfarin interacts with vitamin k and foods
high in vitamin k and may reduce their anticoagulation affects. However there
does not seem to be much research on Xarelto, which is antiplatelet. I would
like to take chlorophyll from time to time as a supplement and also vitamin K
for osteoporosis but am cautious about potentially complicating my medication
and also lymph viscosity. I don't know if you have any words of wisdom on the
subject?
A. This is a complicated issue and it is difficult to make any firm
recommendations without a full medical exam, review of history, review of blood
tests, dietary history, etc.