Posted 5/17/2021 5:11 PM (GMT 0)
Low neutrophils is common in IBD. Either during an active flare, or due to immune suppression from drugs like prednisone. Since you're not on immune suppression, the low neutrophils are usually because the immune system is being depleted by all the fighting. Neutrophils are made from bone marrow and take a while to mature. When an IBD flare starts, all the mature ones go right to the bowel and start fighting. Then when they're used up, all the immature ones go and continue the fight. Eventually their numbers drop because the army just gets depleted. You can get a blood test to find out the ratio of mature to immature ones, I've had it done before when I had neutropenia.
You don't have to worry about below normal neutrophils unless you have symptoms like getting infections easily. A lot of people naturally have below average neutrophils and they're just fine.
I usually have low neutrophils within the first couple of months of stopping prednisone. I haven't been able to figure out why. Maybe something to do with cortisol trying to normalize, dunno.
I can't remember clearly right now but I think vitamin C, zinc, and iron are all crucial to neutrophil development.