How Thick Blood Strains the Heart
For many people, heart health is measured by cholesterol levels, blood pressure, or blocked arteries. But there is another, more subtle condition that is often not considered: blood viscosity , or the thickness of your blood and how easily it flows through your arteries. When your blood becomes thicker than it should, your heart has to work harder to pump it through, kind of like trying to pump honey through a pipe instead of water. Blood is not just a red fluid. It is a complex mixture of red cells, white cells, platelets, plasma, proteins, and electrolytes. The presence and properties of these components affect how well your blood flows. If there are more red cells, less plasma from dehydration, or more proteins from inflammation, your blood becomes thicker. The thicker your blood, the slower it flows and the more resistance there is in your arteries. This resistance creates a real problem for the heart. The heart is designed to push blood through the arteries at a certain press...