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Type I blood group holders are less likely to suffer from heart disease
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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People with blood types A, B, and B are at increased risk of developing coronary heart disease compared to those with blood type I.
Scientists from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston (USA) analyzed the results of two studies - Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study. The first involved 62,073 women, and the second - 27,428 adult respondents of both sexes. The subjects were aged from 30 to 75 years, and observations lasted twenty years or more. The analysis took into account such factors as the participants' diet, their age, body mass index, gender, race, smoking, menopause, and medical history.
As it turns out, people with blood type 4 (7% of the US population) are 23% more likely to "spoil" their heart health. Those with blood type 3 have an 11% higher risk, and blood type 2 increases the likelihood of developing the disease by 5%. By the way, about 43% of Americans have blood type 1.
The biological processes that determine the connection between blood type and the risk of developing coronary heart disease are still unclear to researchers. According to them, various mechanisms may be involved. For example, it is known that the second group is associated with an increased concentration of low-density lipoprotein - "bad" cholesterol, which can clog arteries, and the fourth is associated with inflammation, which can affect the function of blood vessels. In addition, those with the first group often have an increased content of a substance that plays an important role in blood flow and the formation of blood clots.
According to the American National Red Cross, about 45% of whites, 51% of blacks, 57% of Hispanics and 40% of Asians have blood type O. Such people are called universal donors, since their blood can be transfused to anyone. The least common is the fourth group: 4% of whites, 4% of blacks, 2% of Hispanics and 7% of Asians have it. The third group is slightly more common - 11% of whites, 19% of blacks, 10% of Hispanics and 25% of Asians. And the owners of the second group are 40% of whites, 25% of blacks, 31% of Hispanics and 28% of Asians.
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