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The extra red blood cells make your blood thicker than normal. As a result, blood clots can form more easily. These clots can block blood flow through your arteries and veins, which can cause a heart attack or stroke. Thicker blood also doesn't flow as quickly to your body as normal blood.
Close-up of an assortment of vitamins. Photo Credit manu10319/iStock/Getty Images. Your body maintains a delicate balance with your blood to ensure you have enough blood and that it is not too thick or too thin. Over time, excess cholesterol or clotting factors in your blood can make your blood thicker and more likely to clot -- an occurrence that can lead to a heart attack or stroke. While your physician may prescribe medications to thin the blood, certain vitamins also have been shown to have blood-thinning effects.