There are eight mainblood types:
- Type A-positive
- Type A-negative
- Type B-positive
- Type B-negative
- Type O-positive
- Type O-negative
- Type AB-positive
- Type AB-negative
What determines if your blood is positive or negative is the Rhesus (Rh) factor, which is an inherited protein in red blood cells. If your blood cells have the Rh protein, then you have a positive blood type. If there is no Rh protein in your blood cells, you have a negative blood type.
Knowing your blood type can be crucial in a medical emergency, but it can also offer some interesting insight into your health, according toGlenn E. Ramsey, MD.
Dr. Ramsey explains how your blood type may affect your health.
Heart Disease
Of the eight main blood types, people with Type O have the lowest risk for heart attacks and blood clots in the legs and lungs. This may be because people with other blood types have higher levels of certain clotting factors, which are proteins that cause blood to coagulate (solidify). Aheart-healthy lifestyleis particularly important for people with Type A, B and AB blood.
Cancer
Studies have found that people with Type A or Type AB are at higher risk forgastric cancer. Additionally, if you have Type A, Type B or Type AB blood, you may have a higher risk for pancreatic cancer.
COVID-19
Research suggests that people with:
- Type A blood may be at higher risk for COVID-19 infection
- Type O blood may be somewhat less likely to test positive for COVID-19 and have less severe disease than people with other blood types
- Negative blood types may be also slightly less prone to COVID-19 infection
More data is still needed to confirm these hypotheses but the studies help physician-scientists learn more about how blood types affect health.
Knowing your blood type is one more way to better understand and manage your health. While your blood type is genetic and cannot be altered, making healthy choices can help you reduce risks to your health.
FAQs
We know blood type plays a role in determining a person's susceptibility to certain diseases and issues: People with certain blood types are slightly more at risk for getting more severe cases of COVID. Blood type O have lower rates of developing blood clots in their legs and their lungs (deep vein thrombosis)
What does your blood type mean for your health? ›
People with blood types A and B are at higher risk to develop blood clots compared with people who have type O blood, according to a 2020 study published in the American Heart Association journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.
What blood type are usually healthiest? ›
Of the eight main blood types, people with Type O have the lowest risk for heart attacks and blood clots in the legs and lungs. This may be because people with other blood types have higher levels of certain clotting factors, which are proteins that cause blood to coagulate (solidify).
What is the unhealthiest blood type? ›
According to the American Heart Association, A, B, and AB blood types are associated with a greater risk of heart attack due to coronary artery disease than type O blood. In particular, people with AB blood appear to have the highest risk.
Which blood group is best for the human body? ›
O negative blood can be used in transfusions for any blood type. Type O is routinely in short supply and in high demand by hospitals – both because it is the most common blood type and because type O negative blood is the universal blood type needed for emergency transfusions and for immune deficient infants.
Which blood group is prone to diseases? ›
Carriers of blood group 0 (I) are generally more resistant to diseases, with the exception of H. pylori-associated gastrointestinal diseases. Carriers of «antigenic» blood groups A (II), B (III), AB (IV) are more susceptible to development of infectious, cardiovascular and cancer diseases.
What is blood type O allergic to? ›
Type O reacted most to dairy, eggs, gluten grains, and nightshades. Type AB reacted most to nuts and beans, seafood, eggs, and dairy; while A2B also reacted to gluten grains. Type Rh-negative was most reactive to eggs, dairy, nuts and beans, and gluten grains.
Which blood type lives the longest? ›
Based on a survey of 269 centenarians (people older than 100 years) living in Tokyo, Japan, it was suggested that blood type B might be a marker for longevity.
Which blood group has the highest IQ? ›
In 2014, a study conducted in Jordan found significant associa- tion between blood group and intelligence with the highest IQ levels reported among individuals with 'AB' blood type [13].
What blood type do mosquitoes like? ›
In a study published in the American Journal of Entomology in 2019, researchers conducted an experiment in which mosquitoes were given the option to feed on A, B, AB, and O blood types. The mosquitoes chose the Type O feeder more than any other.
People whose blood type is A, B or AB have an increased risk of heart disease and shorter life spans than people who have type O blood, according to a new study.
Which blood type has the most mental illness? ›
Based on odds ratio calculations, it was indicated that psychiatric disorders occur three times more frequently in those with blood type AB than other blood types.
Which blood type is prone to anxiety? ›
People with O blood type may be more likely to have depression and intense anxiety; children may be at a greater risk of attention-deficit disorder.
What blood type is more prone to diabetes? ›
Conclusions: Subjects with blood group "B" are at high risk while individuals with blood group "O" are at low peril of evolving type 2 diabetes.
Which blood type is safest from Covid? ›
Some studies show that Type A blood may increase the risk of getting COVID infection, but Type O may protect against infection. There's no blood type that makes you immune to COVID illness.
Which blood group is best for the brain? ›
The ABO gene is connected with brain function and memory loss. People who have blood types A, B, and AB are up to 82 percent more likely to develop cognition and memory problems — which can lead to dementia — compared to those with Type O.
Does your blood type affect your immune system? ›
The A and B blood types are immunogenic: the body's immune system will react to them if it doesn't know them. If you're blood type A, and you get A blood, your immune system recognizes the A sugar and doesn't react to it.
What blood type is most likely to get leukemia? ›
Frequency of ABO blood group in leukemia patients
| Leukemia | Finding | Reference |
|---|
| ALL | The most frequent blood group in ALL was (O). | [15-22] |
| ALL patients and healthy individuals may have similar ABO blood groups. | [23-27] |
| AML | The most prevalent blood group in AML was (A) positive. | [27-31] |
| Blood Group (O) was frequent. | [16,32,33,42,43] |
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Over 80% of the population has a positive blood type and can receive O positive blood. That's another reason it's in such high demand. O positive donors who are CMV negative are known as Heroes for Babies at the Red Cross because it is the safest blood for transfusions for immune deficient newborns.
