Health

As a Black man, should I be worried that my white blood cell count is always low? Dr. Mallika Marshall answers your questions

By Mallika Marshall, MD

December 13, 2023 / 5:41 PM EST / CBS Boston

As a Black man, should I be worried my white blood cell count is always low?

BOSTON - Dr. Mallika Marshall is answering your latest health questions. If you have a question, email her or message her on Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter).

Jason says, "I am a 5-year-old Black man. Whenever I have routine labs drawn, my white blood cell count is always low. Should I be worried?"

White blood cells or WBCs make up about one percent of the cells in your blood, and they're responsible for fighting infection. A very low white blood cell count could put you at higher risk of infection. But many people of African or Middle Eastern descent have lower white blood cell counts than other ethnic groups, probably due to a genetic variant that helps protect people of African descent from malaria.

If you're otherwise healthy, don't have frequent infections, and always have a white blood cell count in the same range, you're probably just fine.

Dr. Mallika is offering her best advice, but as always, consult your personal doctor before making any decisions about your personal health.

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Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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