Does papaya juice help to increase blood platelet count?
E-mails were circulated in November last year with testimonies from patients who had increased their blood platelet count by drinking raw papaya leaf juice. The body contains two types of blood cells: red and white. White blood cells help to fight off illnesses. Dengue fever decreases the amount of white blood cells, exposing the patient to illness. Papaya juice is believed to increase the number of white blood cells in the body. There is no scientific proof of this, however. Prof Leo said she does not know of any proven effect from consuming papaya juice. When are dengue patients admitted at hospitals? The Ministry of Health’s criteria for admitting patients with dengue are when their blood platelet count drops to 80,000 and below, which puts them in danger of haemorrhaging. The platelet count tends to drop when the patient’s fever starts to subside. A normal person’s average count ranges from 150,000 to 450,000. Can dengue be treated at home? As long as the blood platelet count is ab
