Sunny Health

In some Asian cultures, blood type is a matter of significant interest, especially when it comes to dating, and “what is your blood type” would be one of the first questions your date would ask, if the information is not already on your public profile. Apparently, like the zodiac sign, certain blood types have specific personalities, compatible blood types, things they are good at, lucky days and so on.

Well, they certainly aren’t wrong about the importance of blood types, though they might have had the wrong focus. Or perhaps this is just a clever means of masking their true intentions of finding out one’s blood type. After all, health matters are highly personal, something you might seriously discuss only if marriage is on the cards.

While there is no scientific evidence that blood type has any bearings on personality, it certain reveals more than a thing or two about one’s health.

According to a research by the University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands, which was presented at the European Society of Cardiology congress, people with a non-O blood group have a slightly higher risk of heart attack and stroke. Non-O blood groups are people with A, B and AB blood types. It is thought that A, B and AB blood types may present higher levels of blood-clotting protein, causing arteries to become clogged more easily.




The research was done based on studies involving some 1.3 million people. Findings revealed that 15 in 1,000 people with a non-O blood group suffered a heart attack, compared to 14 in 1,000 people with blood group O. This also brings to mind an earlier study which suggested that people with the rarest blood group - AB - were most vulnerable to heart disease. Their risk of contracting it was 23% more.



Genetic factors have typically played a small role in increasing the risk of certain diseases, but the probability of contracting the disease is not definite. Your lifestyle plays a major role in contracting diseases. Though study author Tessa Cole called for blood groups to be considered in risk assessments for cardiovascular prevention, others believe that giving up smoking and eating healthily should remain the focus for heart disease prevention.

Aside from cardiovascular health, your blood type also possibly sheds light on other health matters:

According to journal Neurology, blood type AB may be more susceptible to cognitive impairment as they age. This means that they are more likely to have memory and thinking problems, and again, clotting factors and proteins in the blood could be an explanation for it.

Those with blood type A have a higher risk of contracting stomach cancer and stomach ulcers compared to blood types B and O (unfortunately that includes AB too), according to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. It is hypothesized that blood types AB or A may have greater immune system reaction to the bacteria H. pylori in our guts. The prolific cell activity from it would have been a cause for the cancer.

Blood types O not only have a decreased risk for heart diseases compared to their A and B counterparts, they are also less likely to develop pancreatic cancer, according to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. As with stomach cancer, it is possible that differing intensities of reaction to H. pylori could have been a reason for it.

With regards to influenza, or the common flu, this is what Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo, a physician well known for advocating the Blood Type diet (customising diets based on blood type with the firm belief that blood types contribute significantly to one’s state of health), has to say about the different blood types:

•    Blood type A: Overall has a great ability to generate a quick and substantial antibody response against influenza type A(H1N1) and especially A(H3N2). Their antibody response against influenza B is not quite as dramatic.

•    Blood type AB: Relatively poor ability to generate high antibody levels against any of the influenza viruses.

•    Blood type B: Reasonable, but not great ability to generate an antibody response against influenza A(H1N1). Against influenza B virus, blood type B has a significant advantage. The blood type B immune response happens much earlier and persists longer.

•    Blood type O: Relatively effective ability to generate antibody response against influenza A(H1N1) and A(H3N2) viruses. Antibody response against influenza B is not as dramatic as blood type B.

It would be prudent to note that these statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.



Additionally, people with type A blood are more likely to have higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their bodies, which means they get affected by stress more easily. O blood types on the other hand succumb to stress more easily. 

With all the luck that Blood Type Os have, perhaps that is why they may donate blood to most major blood types (O- can donate to all blood types) but only accept blood from Type O (O+ can accept blood from O+ and O-, while O- can only accept blood from O-). Life is as fair as can be after all.

Nevertheless, those with blood type AB should not be dismayed. The correlation between blood types and health conditions is a subject that scientists are still exploring and debating over. Hopefully, this article will encourage one in the higher risks groups to take proactive steps to reduce the health risks, such as leading a healthy lifestyle, cutting out on the vices and doing regular health check ups. Certainly, this is not a pass for Blood type Os to be complacent.