Secrets about your health told by blood type!

Many people only think about their blood type when they need surgery or a blood donation. But the role of blood types can go beyond that, in fact, to be an important way of knowing what can threaten our public health.

Using large population-level questionnaires, researchers have found that certain blood types are associated with a higher risk of heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancer, says hematologist Raymond Commenzo , MD, professor at Tufts University School of Medicine and medical director of the Blood Bank and Transfusion Medicine Laboratory at Tufts Medical Center.

“It’s not the kind of work that can guide clinical decision-making for an individual patient. But these connections could pave the way for further research to better understand these diseases and the risks they face in different populations.” , explains Commenzo.

There are four main blood types: A, B, AB and O. Our blood type (also called blood types or blood groups) depends on certain antigens, which are molecules that trigger an immune response, which are found on the outside of our red blood cells. For example, a person with blood type B has B antigens on their red blood cells, which means their body will recognize other B antigens as safe and not react to them. But if their body encounters A antigens from transfused blood, for example, it will immediately try to destroy those cells as if it were an infection. People with blood group AB have both A and B antigens, and people with blood group O have neither.

Blood types are said to be hereditary. It stems from variations in a single gene in our body known as the ABO gene and is not something we can change. But learning how they affect the risks of different diseases can improve our understanding of how and why people experience different health problems.

Crabs

Research shows that people with type A blood are more likely to develop certain stomach cancers. Commenzo says Helicobacter pylori bacterial infections are more common in patients who have type A blood, and these infections can cause stomach ulcers, infections, and sometimes lead to cancer. pylori may also be associated with higher rates of pancreatic cancer in blood types A, B, and AB.

These three blood groups can also affect the risk of other cancers.

“For patients who have type A, B, or AB blood, the ABO gene may also play a role in increasing the risk of certain cancers, particularly lung, breast, colorectal, and cervical cancer. ‘womb,” Commenzo said.

But researchers still don’t know exactly how this link occurs.

Heart diseases:

According to the American Heart Association, blood types A, B, and AB are associated with a higher risk of heart attack from coronary artery disease than blood type O. In particular, people with AB blood appear to be most at risk. risk.

These blood types have also been linked to higher rates of bleeding disorders.

Apoplexy:

A recent study found that people with type A blood were more likely to have a stroke before age 60 than those with type O blood.

More research is needed to determine the reason for this association, but researchers suggest it may have something to do with how different blood types contribute to clotting factors.

Mosquitoes and malaria:

In laboratory experiments, mosquitoes seem to prefer feeding on people with type O blood, although other genetic factors also play a role.

Fortunately, blood type O helps protect people against the most severe effects of malaria, a mosquito-borne disease.

COVID-19[FEMININE:[FEMININE:

In a large study of European patients, the analysis indicated that patients with blood type O were less likely to die from Covid-19.

“This was pre-vaccine data, of course,” says Commenzo. “It doesn’t really translate into a risk to an individual patient, because the relative risk is so low.”

Understanding how different blood types contribute to these risks can help improve how different diseases are identified and managed at the population level. But people shouldn’t suddenly worry too much about the particular risks associated with their blood type, says Commenzo. Many of these risk differences are small, and health-conscious patients should focus on risk factors they can control.

“There are many ways people with these blood types can reduce their risk. These include exercise, healthy eating, not smoking, and lifestyle changes,” says Commenzo.

Source: Medical Express