There are eight main blood types: A+, A-, B+, B-, O+, O-, AB+ or AB-. Knowing your blood type can be crucial in a medical emergency, but it can also offer some interesting insight into your health.
Research suggests that there are links between blood type and several different diseases. This means that knowing your blood type could also alert you to certain types of diseases, such as multiple sclerosis or diabetes.
Blood types are determined by the presence or absence of certain antigens, which can trigger an immune response if they’re foreign to the body.
The ABO blood group system classifies blood types according to the different types of antigens in the red blood cells and antibodies in the plasma.
Heart disease
Research shows that O blood types have a lower risk of coronary heart disease. Experts aren’t sure why. But some believe it might be because other types are likely to have higher cholesterol and higher amounts of a protein that’s linked to clotting.
Malaria
You can get malaria when an infected mosquito bites you. Luckily, if you have blood type O, it’s harder for the parasite to attach to the cells.
Ulcers
Peptic ulcers are painful open sores that crop up in the lining of your stomach or upper intestine. They seem to occur more often with O.
Memory
A small study showed that people with AB blood type are more likely to develop thinking and memory problems. Which can lead to dementia, than people with other blood types.
Cancer Risk
A correlation between pancreatic cancer and blood type has also been established, with A, B, and AB individuals at greater risk than type Os. Women with O are less likely to develop ovarian cancer than all other blood types. But but may be more likely to develop renal cancer. Skin cancer risk also varies according to blood type, with type Os having a substantially higher risk of developing the disease than A, B, and AB individuals.
Stomach Cancer
A, AB, and B are more at risk than type Os, especially people with A. Experts think this might be because of H. pylori, an infection more common with type A blood. It’s usually found in the stomach, causing inflammation and ulcers.
