Blood groups are a cause of concern when one is in need of a transfusion. Not just that, latest research points to something interesting, perhaps worrying as well, about blood groups and diseases.
Studies carried out by different groups of researchers reveal that your blood group can shield your body from various ailments and it could even make you prone to some diseases too.
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You will be surprised to see how your blood type could impact your health:
1. Heart ailment
A study carried out by the Harvard School of Public Health found that people with Type O blood group are likely to be at a 23 percent lesser risk of heart disease. Whereas people with blood groups A, B and AB were found to be at the maximum risk of heart ailment. The reason behind this is likely to be the association of these blood groups with higher inflammation rates.
"While people cannot change their blood type, our findings may help physicians better understand who is at risk for developing heart disease," said senior author Lu Qi in an American Heart Association (AHA) press release.
"It's good to know your blood type in the same way you should know your cholesterol or blood pressure numbers. If you know you're at higher risk, you can reduce the risk by adopting a healthier lifestyle, such as eating right, exercising, and not smoking," Qi advised.
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2. Stomach cancer
A research carried out by Gustaf Edgren, of Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden reveals that people having blood group AB- are at almost 26 percent greater risk and people with blood group A are at 20 percent more prone of stomach cancer than those with blood type B or O.
A microbe present in our gut named H. Pylori is likely to be responsible for this. The gut bacteria are likely to trigger reactions in people with blood group A and AB, resulting in increasing their risk of getting cancer, according to Edgren.
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3. Ulcers
Edgren also found that the chances of people with blood group O are more prone to ulcers because of the same gut bacteria H. Pylori.
"This blood group somehow modifies the body's immunological response to the bacteria, but we don't know exactly how," Edgren explained.
4. Pregnancy
Did you know your blood group could affect your chances of conceiving? If you didn't, now you do. An American study was carried out which included more than 560 women undergoing fertility treatment. It was found that women with blood group O possessed twice lesser egg count and their egg quality was poorer than others.
Those women with blood group A seemed more protected from fall in their egg counts over time.
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Those having blood group AB were found to be at a high risk of being prone to a condition known as Pre-eclampsia (PE) during pregnancy. PE is a disorder women suffer from which is characterised by the onset of high blood pressure and they often have traces of protein in their urine in significant amounts.
5. Memory-related issues
People with blood type AB, especially old people are at the risk of suffering from cognitive problems, like poor memory, facing hardships in remembering or learning etc, as per journal Neurology.
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"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," Professor Mary Cushman of the University of Vermont stated.
6. Pancreatic cancer
It has been found that those with blood type O have 37 percent lesser chances to get diagnosed with pancreatic cancer according to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The other blood groups are more prone to pancreatic cancer due to the presence of the gut microbe H. Pylori.
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7. Obesity and stomach bugs
It's a bad news for people with blood group O as they are found to be more prone to a deadly bug which triggers diarrhoea and vomiting, which is known as norovirus. According to the findings of Danish researchers, males having type O are likely be at the risk of turning obese, especially those men who get more exposed to pollution while working are at a greater risk of gaining excess weight than other men.
