How can I get more protein C?

November 18, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), Protein C deficiency is a rare genetic disorder that can increase the risk of developing dangerous blood clots. For those with this condition, simply consuming more of certain foods or supplements will not increase protein C levels, as medical interventions are often required to manage the deficiency.

Quick Summary

This article explains that increasing protein C levels requires medical intervention, not dietary changes, for those with a deficiency. It details inherited and acquired causes, symptoms, diagnosis methods, and various treatment options like concentrates and anticoagulants to prevent dangerous clotting events.

Key Points

Medical Intervention Required: Increasing protein C levels can only be achieved through specific medical treatments, such as protein C concentrate infusions, and not via diet or supplements.
Inherited or Acquired Deficiency: Protein C deficiency is caused by either a genetic mutation (PROC gene) or an acquired condition, including liver disease, vitamin K deficiency, or certain medications.
Risk of Blood Clots: A deficiency in protein C significantly increases the risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE), including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.
Management Depends on Severity: Treatment ranges from close monitoring and lifestyle changes for mild cases to long-term anticoagulant therapy or protein replacement for severe, symptomatic deficiency.
Healthy Lifestyle Supports Vascular Health: While diet doesn't raise protein C, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, and avoiding smoking can lower overall risk for cardiovascular events.
Warfarin Requires Special Caution: Warfarin therapy temporarily lowers protein C, requiring careful initiation with other anticoagulants to prevent complications like warfarin-induced skin necrosis.

Understanding Protein C and Its Role in Blood Clotting

Protein C is a vital, vitamin K–dependent glycoprotein predominantly produced in the liver. It functions as a natural anticoagulant, acting as a “brake” on the body's coagulation system to prevent the formation of excessive blood clots. When protein C is activated, it works with its cofactor, protein S, to inactivate clotting factors V and VIII. This process helps maintain a delicate balance between clotting and bleeding, known as hemostasis.

Deficiency in protein C can disrupt this balance, leading to a hypercoagulable state where the risk of developing blood clots, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is significantly increased. This can occur due to either inherited or acquired factors.

Inherited and Acquired Causes of Low Protein C

Protein C deficiency is not something that can be resolved through diet alone. Instead, it is a medical condition stemming from two primary causes: genetic mutations or an underlying health issue. The approach to management differs dramatically depending on the cause.

Hereditary (Genetic) Protein C Deficiency: This is a disorder caused by a mutation in the PROC gene. It is most often inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, meaning a person needs only one copy of the mutated gene to be affected. In very rare and severe cases, a person may inherit mutations from both parents (autosomal recessive inheritance), leading to life-threatening complications like purpura fulminans in infants.
Acquired Protein C Deficiency: This is a more common scenario where protein C levels drop due to another medical condition or medication. Causes can include:
- Liver Disease: Since the liver produces protein C, liver dysfunction can lead to reduced levels.
- Vitamin K Deficiency: As a vitamin K-dependent protein, a lack of vitamin K can impair its synthesis.
- Warfarin Therapy: The anticoagulant medication warfarin temporarily reduces protein C levels, which is why other blood thinners like heparin are used during initiation.
- Severe Infection or Sepsis: These conditions can cause a temporary, severe deficiency.
- Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC): This condition consumes clotting proteins, including protein C.

Diagnosis and Medical Treatment Options

If a protein C deficiency is suspected, a hematologist will conduct specific blood tests to measure the protein's levels and function. Treatment is always medically supervised and tailored to the individual’s specific needs and risk factors.

Protein C Concentrate (Ceprotin®): For severe congenital deficiency, especially in infants with purpura fulminans, or for treating acute thrombotic episodes, a concentrated form of protein C is administered intravenously.
Anticoagulant Medications: For adults with a history of blood clots, long-term anticoagulation therapy is often prescribed. This may include:
- Warfarin: Used for long-term management but requires careful monitoring and a temporary overlap with other anticoagulants to prevent complications like warfarin-induced skin necrosis, which can occur due to the initial drop in protein C levels.
- Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs): Medications like rivaroxaban and apixaban are effective alternatives for preventing venous thromboembolism without the initial risk of skin necrosis associated with warfarin.
Managing Underlying Conditions: For acquired deficiency, addressing the root cause is critical. For instance, treating liver disease or providing vitamin K can help restore protein C levels to normal ranges over time.

Can Dietary Changes Help?

Because protein C is a specialized, medically-regulated protein, dietary changes cannot directly increase its levels. There is no known food or over-the-counter supplement that will raise protein C in a clinically significant way. However, a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition are vital for overall cardiovascular health and can help manage other clot risk factors. This includes:

Maintaining a healthy weight to reduce pressure on the veins.
Engaging in regular exercise to improve blood circulation.
Quitting smoking, as it is a significant risk factor for clotting.
Staying hydrated, as dehydration can increase blood viscosity.

Comparison of Treatment Approaches for Protein C Deficiency


Feature	Management for Mild/Asymptomatic Deficiency	Management for Severe/Symptomatic Deficiency
Patient Profile	Often heterozygous carriers with a single gene mutation; few or no symptoms.	Homozygous or compound heterozygous mutation; history of VTE, or neonatal purpura fulminans.
Primary Goal	Monitor and manage risk factors; prevent first thrombotic event.	Treat acute thrombotic event; provide lifelong management to prevent recurrence.
Core Intervention	Lifestyle modifications; avoidance of high-risk situations (e.g., estrogen therapy).	Protein C concentrate (for acute severe events); long-term anticoagulation therapy.
Medications	Prophylactic anticoagulants may be used during high-risk periods like surgery or pregnancy.	Long-term use of anticoagulants like warfarin or DOACs.
Dietary Impact	No direct impact on protein C levels, but a healthy diet supports overall vascular health.	No direct impact on protein C levels. Medical treatment is required.
Monitoring	Periodic check-ups with a hematologist to assess risk factors.	Close and ongoing medical supervision, especially with warfarin therapy.

Conclusion

For those seeking to understand how can I get more protein C, it is essential to understand that this is not achievable through diet or supplements alone. Protein C deficiency, whether inherited or acquired, requires medical diagnosis and management. While a healthy lifestyle can reduce overall cardiovascular risk, restoring protein C levels for therapeutic purposes is exclusively a medical procedure involving replacement therapy or specialized anticoagulants. Individuals with diagnosed or suspected protein C deficiency should consult a hematologist to determine the appropriate course of action, which may involve medication, managing underlying conditions, and risk factor reduction. For more information, the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) provides detailed resources on diagnosis and management. https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/protein-c-deficiency/

Frequently Asked Questions

No, you cannot increase your protein C levels through diet or supplements. Protein C deficiency is a medical condition that requires proper diagnosis and medically supervised treatment to resolve.

Protein C is a natural anticoagulant protein produced in the liver that acts as a 'brake' on the body's blood clotting process. A deficiency can lead to excessive clotting and increase the risk of dangerous blood clots like DVT and PE.

Protein C deficiency can be either inherited due to a genetic mutation or acquired from other conditions like liver disease, severe infection, or vitamin K deficiency.

Many people with inherited protein C deficiency have no symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they are typically related to blood clots, such as swelling or pain in a leg from DVT, or shortness of breath from a PE.

A doctor, usually a hematologist, will diagnose protein C deficiency through specific blood tests that measure the protein's level and function. Genetic testing may also be used to identify mutations in the PROC gene.

The primary treatment for severe protein C deficiency, particularly during acute clotting events or in neonates, is an intravenous infusion of protein C concentrate, known as Ceprotin®.

Yes, initiating warfarin therapy can temporarily lower protein C levels more quickly than other clotting factors, creating a pro-clotting state. This can cause a rare but serious complication called warfarin-induced skin necrosis, which is why other anticoagulants are used initially.