Your blood type can seriously affect your health

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For centuries, scientists believed blood types only mattered over transfusions.

Now research suggests your blood group could make you more prone to certain illnesses — and also protect you.

Different groups are determined by antigens, which are immune defence systems on the surface of red blood cells. Each one evolved to protect us against lethal diseases specific to a time and place, which is why different ethnic groups have a different ratio of blood types.

Here's how your blood group could affect your health.

Memory problems

Blood type AB may increase your risk of cognitive problems, according to research from the journal Neurology. Specifically, older ABs were more likely to have difficulty learning or recalling lists of items.

Professor Mary Cushman of the University of Vermont, said: "We know blood type AB is related to levels of certain clotting factors and to proteins in the blood. While this may help explain why type ABs are more likely to develop thinking problems later in life, the exact mechanisms aren't clear."

Stomach cancer

More bad news if you're blood type AB — your risk for gastric cancer is roughly 26 percent higher than if you had B or O. And if you're type A, your risk is 20 percent higher than type B or O.

According to a study by Gustaf Edgren of Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden, a common bacteria in our gut called H. pylori may be to blame.

Those with blood type AB or A may have a heightened reaction to it that increases their cancer risk.

Ulcers

If you're type O, you may have an increased risk of ulcers — thanks again to H. pylori bacteria.

"This blood group somehow modifies the body's immunological response to the bacteria, but we don't know exactly how," said Gustaf.

Heart disease

Thank your lucky genes, type Os. Your blood may lower your risk for heart disease by up to 23 percent.

A Harvard School of Public Health study also shows that people with blood types AB and B were at the greatest risk. Certain groups have been linked to higher rates of inflammation, which could partly explain their connection to heart disease.

Pancreatic cancer

More good news for type Os: you're 37 percent less likely to develop pancreatic cancer, suggests the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Once again, researchers point to the presence of the gut bacteria H. pylori for the higher disease rates among non-O blood types.

Stomach bugs and weight gain

Research shows Os are more vulnerable to norovirus , the potentially lethal vomiting and diarrhoea bug. 

Also, men with type O might be more prone to piling on the pounds, said Danish researchers. They have found that type O men who are exposed routinely to pollution at work have a raised risk of obesity compared with other men.

A study by Copenhagen's Bispebjerg University Hospital said that the pollution sets off chronic inflammatory responses that can result in type O men becoming overweight.

Pregnancy

Your blood group can affect the chances of conception. A US study of more than 560 women in fertility treatment found that those with type O were up to twice as likely to have a lower egg count and poorer egg quality.

Group A women seemed better protected against their egg counts falling over time.

There are also fears that AB blood may treble the risk of suffering pre-eclampsia during pregnancy.

Source: Daily Mail

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