What causes the body to make too much blood?

Answer 1

The condition you're asking about is called polycythemia, which is when your body produces too many red blood cells. This can happen for several reasons.

Primary polycythemia (also called polycythemia vera) occurs when there's a mutation in the bone marrow cells that produce blood cells. This causes them to make too many red blood cells even when your body doesn't need them. It's relatively rare and usually develops slowly over time.

Secondary polycythemia happens when something else causes your body to produce more red blood cells as a response. Common causes include living at high altitudes (where oxygen is lower), smoking, certain lung or Heart diseases that reduce oxygen in your blood, and some kidney problems. Your body makes more red blood cells to try to carry more oxygen.

Some people also develop relative polycythemia from dehydration, which doesn't actually increase blood production but concentrates the blood cells you already have.

Treatment depends entirely on the underlying cause and can range from simple lifestyle changes to medication or procedures to reduce blood thickness. Regular monitoring is important to prevent complications like blood clots.

Answer 2

Excessive blood production, known as polycythemia, can be caused by various factors, including chronic hypoxia (low oxygen levels), which prompts the body to produce more red blood cells to improve oxygen transport. It can also result from certain disorders, such as polycythemia vera, a bone marrow disease that leads to overproduction of blood cells. Additionally, factors like smoking, living at high altitudes, or conditions that cause prolonged low oxygen levels can stimulate increased erythropoietin production, resulting in higher blood volume.