There are people who suspect that blood types have an influence on personality or the tolerance of food. But while these assumptions have hardly been researched, a large study now proves another important connection: Blood type can reveal susceptibility to disease. FITBOOK explains which people have an increased risk of which diseases.
The findings from a Swedish study could help doctors to better protect people from diseases.1 Because the scientists evaluated data from more than five million people that are stored in Sweden’s national database for blood donations and transfusions. They wanted to know what connection there is between the blood group and a disease. Over 1000 diseases were included in the analysis. In the majority of cases there was no clear connection. But the researchers actually found what they were looking for in 49 diseases. We explain which blood group increases the risk of which disease.
What is the difference between blood groups?
Blood groups are divided into around 30 different systems based on their characteristics. The AB0 and Rhesus systems are the most widespread. Both were discovered by the Austrian physician Karl Landsteiner in the early 20th century. The American Alexander Salomon Wiener was also involved in the discovery of the Rhesus system in 1937.
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The red blood cells (also called erythrocytes) are surrounded by a kind of shell. On it are characteristic structures called antigens. As a result, the ABO blood group system divides human blood into four groups: A, B, AB and 0.
Not only the erythrocytes show characteristics, but also the blood plasma. Here there are special antibodies that can identify a foreign blood group.
The distribution of the individual blood characteristics
Blood typeAntigensAntibodies AAB BBA ABA and Bnone 0none A and B
In the Rhesus system, blood is differentiated by the characteristics «Rhesus factor positive» (Rh+) and «Rhesus factor negative» (Rh-). People who are rhesus positive have the rhesus antigen on their red blood cells. In contrast, this antigen is absent in people who are Rhesus negative. Since these antigens were first researched in rhesus monkeys, they bear her name.
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Each of the ABO blood groups can be Rh positive and Rh negative. This results in a total of eight different blood groups: A+, A-, B+, B-, AB+, AB-, 0+ and 0-. Because of the different characteristics, not every human being can receive the blood of another human being. People with blood group AB+ are lucky because they can receive a blood donation from anyone. The worst are people with blood group 0-. They can only conceive the same blood group. However, they are the most sought-after blood donors, since anyone can accept their blood as a donation.
Connection between blood groups and diseases
According to the authors of the Swedish study, previous research has already shown that some ABO blood types are associated with an increased risk of certain diseases.2 Despite the known influence, the connection for many diseases has not been fully investigated. But it is precisely this knowledge that can help to identify people with an increased risk of the diseases and to better monitor them medically. In this way, an outbreak of the disease could be prevented or treatment could take place at an early stage.
Also interesting: Researchers can now convert blood groups
Among other things, the researchers found that people with blood group 0 are more susceptible to blood clotting disorders (bleeding). People with blood group A have an increased risk of developing blood clots. And blood types A and AB have a lower risk of high blood pressure compared to blood type 0.
Although it is the largest study of its kind, the authors caution that more research is needed to validate these results. Some of the apparent connections between blood groups and diseases had already failed to withstand validation in this study. And also for the demonstrated, tested correlations other reasons than the composition of the blood on the basis of the analysis cannot be ruled out.
The study results summarized in a table
Blood groupIncreased risk of the following diseases Athrombosis
formation of blood clots
pancreatic cancer
gallstones
B- ABgallstones 0Kidney and ureteral stones
blood clotting disorders (bleeding)
Thyrotoxicosis (thyroid disease)
Hypertension in pregnant women Rhesus factor positive (Rh+) Hypertension in pregnant women Dahlén T, Clements M, Zhao J, Olsson ML, Edgren G. An agnostic study of associations between ABO and RhD blood group and phenome-wide disease risk. elf. (2021)
Sources
- Dahlén T, Clements M, Zhao J, Olsson ML, Edgren G. (2021) An agnostic study of associations between ABO and RhD blood group and phenome-wide disease risk. eLife
- Stowell SR, Stowell CP (2019). Biologic roles of the ABH and Lewis histo-blood group antigens part II: thrombosis, cardiovascular disease and metabolism. The International Journal of Transfusion Medicine