New research has found that your blood type could have an effect on your health – in both positive and negative ways.
For years scientists have thought that your blood type only matters when it comes to transfusions. However, a recent study has shown that your blood type can play a key role in how resistant or susceptible you are to certain illnesses.
For example, if you are blood type AB, you have a 26% more chance of developing stomach cancer than blood types B or O. If you’re type A, it’s 20% higher than O and B. Gustaf Edgern’s, the principle researcher, study concluded that a common bacteria in our stomachs, known as H. Pylori may be to blame for this as those with type AB or A blood may have a more aggressive reaction to it, increasing the risks of cancer. The H. Pylori bacteria is also responsible for stomach ulcers, thus meaning that type AB or type A again are at a higher risk of suffering from ulcers than type O and B.
However, Type O isn’t immune to everything! In-fact, it’s been proven that O blood types are more vulnerable to norovirus, the potentially lethal vomiting and diarrhoea bug. Also, men with type O blood could be more prone to obesity, say Danish researchers. Although being type O isn’t all that bad as this type is 37% less likely to develop pancreatic cancer, suggests the National Cancer Institute. Once again, researchers point towards the stomach bacteria H. Pylori.
Your blood group can even effect your conception!
A US study of more than 560 women in fertility treatment found that those with type O blood were up to twice as likely to have a lower egg count or poorer egg quality. Group A women seemed better protected against their egg count falling over time. There are also fears that omen with type AB blood may treble the risk of pre-eclampsia during pregnancy.
If you’d like to study blood types for yourself, you can enrol on one of our phlebotomy courses. Visit our ‘book a course’ page to secure your place today! Alternatively, if you’d like to find out more you can call us on 01609 751 610.