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There are a lot of factors involved in your health. Your blood type is one of the more unexpected health risk factors. And it’s one you need to be aware of because you can’t change it.

 

 

If you’ve ever given blood or needed blood, then you probably know what blood type you are. Most people don’t think about their blood type any further than this. But you should think about it. Research has shown that there’s a link between your blood type and the probability of developing certain diseases. More research is needed on this topic, but here’s what you should know about so far.

 

Blood Type and Health Risk

Your blood type increases your risk of certain diseases. And you need to be aware of this link between your blood and health risk. Awareness will help you take action, and this is the best way to reduce this health risk. Some of the problems associated with blood type are:

 

Heart Attacks

If you have an A, B, or AB blood type, then you’re at higher risk of having a heart attack or heart disease. This is due to the ABO gene, which is present in everyone with these blood types.

 

This gene can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. And if you live in an area with more pollution, it can also increase your risk of heart attack too.

 

COVID-19

People with blood type A are more at risk from COVID-19. Researchers don’t fully understand the link between this virus and blood type. But if you’re an A, then you need to be aware that you may have a greater susceptibility to the virus.

 

New Research on Blood Type and Disease

Your blood type is determined by the proteins or antigens on the top of the red blood cells. There are two systems for this, known as ABO and RhD. Blood Types A, B, AB, and O are part of the ABO system. Each of these can be either RhD positive or RhD negative in the RhD system.

 

Each of these systems proved to be important to disease susceptibility in a recent study. The study was performed on over 5 million people, looking for links between blood type and 1,000 diseases. The research found one disease linked to the RhD system and 49 that were linked to the ABO system.

 

Here are some more of the results the researchers found:

 

• Having blood type B seems to be protective against kidney stones
• Blood group A are prone to blood clots

• Blood type O are less likely to develop cardiovascular disease or a blood clot
• People with the O blood type are more likely to have a bleeding condition than other types
• Women with O blood are more likely to experience pregnancy-induced hypertension
• Women who are RhD positive are also more likely to develop pregnancy inducted hypertension

 

The Takeaway

Obviously, you can’t change your blood type. The nature of the link between blood type and disease probability is still unclear as well. But what is clear is that this information could have prognostic value.

 

Managing your health is about calculating your risk of certain diseases and taking steps to lower or eliminate your risk. These calculations are a fundamental part of a holistic view of your present and future health.

 

 

If you’re concerned about how your blood type influences your health, use  HomeLab to help you keep track of your condition and any changes you make to your life.

 

Tags: Health Risk, blood type