Many people are still interested in the human body because of the mysterious ways it conducts functions to heal and occasionally hurt us. Blood is one of them, it is a vital fluid for the body, essential for survival.
- Blood transports oxygen and nutrients to all regions of the body, allowing them to function properly.
- Carbon dioxide and other waste chemicals are carried by the blood to the lungs, kidneys, and digestive system to be eliminated from the body.
- Blood also fights diseases and transports hormones throughout the body.
Blood Types: There are four major blood groups (blood types): A, B, AB, and O. The genes you acquire from your parents define your blood group. Each blood type can be RhD positive or RhD negative, for a total of eight blood groups.
Importance of Blood Types:
The most critical reason to know your blood type is for emergency purposes. If you require a blood transfusion, you will need compatible blood. An unsuitable blood group can induce clotting of blood cells, which can be fatal.
Why Blood Types are different?
- Blood type AB’s body is predisposed to manufacture A and B antigens on red blood cells. Antigens are not produced by people with blood type O.
- Blood is classified as “positive” or “negative” based on the presence of proteins on red blood cells. You are Rh-positive if your blood contains proteins.
- People with blood type O- are dubbed “universal donors” since their blood contains no antigens or proteins, allowing it to be accepted by anybody in an emergency.
- Researchers aren’t sure why our blood types are different, but factors like where someone’s ancestors came from and previous infections that resulted in defensive changes in the blood may have contributed to the diversity.
- People with Blood type O, for example, may be more susceptible to cholera, whereas people with blood type A or B may be more vulnerable to blood clotting difficulties.
Blood Types more prone to Heart Diseases:
- According to the American Heart Association, those with blood types A, B, or AB are more likely to suffer a heart attack or experience heart failure than people with blood type O. Although, Blood O types are more susceptible to haemorrhaging or bleeding disorders.
- While the increased risk is minor (types A or B had a combined 8% higher risk of heart attack and 10% higher risk of heart failure in one big research), the difference in blood clotting rates is significantly greater, according to the AHA.
- People with blood types A and B were 51% more likely to get deep vein thrombosis and 47% more likely to develop pulmonary embolism, both of which are severe blood clotting diseases that can increase the risk of heart failure.
- One cause for this elevated risk could be inflammation in the bodies of those with blood type A, type B, or type AB.
- Proteins found in blood types A and B may produce more “blockage” or “thickening” in veins and arteries, increasing the risk of clotting and heart disease.
- This may describe the reported (but still unproven) reduction in risk of severe COVID-19 disease in people with blood type O, which has sparked the investigation.
Can a healthy lifestyle help?
Big factors like food, activity and even the degree of pollution in your area all have a role in determining heart health. However, there is currently no evidence to support the claimed health benefits of blood type diets.
Fun Facts:
- The first blood kinds were found in the early 1900s. Karl Landsteiner, an Austrian scientist, was the first to identify the four major blood types (1909) correctly. In 1930, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for his contribution.
- Blood types A, B, AB, and O are all sugar.
- The study population, with blood type B being the most common, is at a high risk of acquiring allergies and gastroenteric cancers.
- If you have blood type O, your chances of living longer are better since you have a decreased risk of heart and blood vessel illness (cardiovascular disease). Also, are less vulnerable to malaria. They do, however, have an elevated risk of pancreatic cancer, infertility issues and type 2 diabetes.
- Blood type AB is more likely to have a cognitive impairment, which includes difficulties remembering, focusing, and making judgments.
- Blood type O’s are the purest, particularly O negatives, who are universal donors. They have the purest blood, sometimes known as “royal blood” in Europe. They are the most ecologically intolerant and sensitive due to their purity.
- The “universal recipient” blood type is AB+. Because blood type AB contains both A and B antigens, as well as the Rh factor, it can be transfused with blood from any ABO group.
- People with blood type A blood are at a higher risk of developing stomach cancer.
- People with negative blood types are more likely to suffer from mental health problems and skin allergies.
Blood is primarily liquid, yet it contains many cells and proteins, making it “thicker” than pure water. The typical person’s blood volume is 5 litres (more than a gallon).