Blood Type O Linked to Increased Resistance to Infection, but No “Strongest” Group Exists, Expert Says
LAUSANNE, Switzerland - individuals with blood type O may possess a slight advantage against certain infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and severe malaria, according to research and insights from Professor Jean-Daniel Tissot, a hematologist and former dean of the Faculty of Biology and Medicine in Lausanne. However, experts caution against labeling any single blood group as definitively “stronger” than others, emphasizing the relative nature of these protections and the overriding importance of lifestyle and age in overall health.
blood groups - O, A, B, and AB – are genetically steadfast by the presence or absence of proteins or sugars on the surface of red blood cells. While some are linked to sugars (ABO system) and others to proteins, this biological diversity likely evolved over millennia, offering advantages against now-extinct pathogens, explains Professor Tissot.”There are differences in susceptibility to certain diseases,but nothing that allows us to establish a hierarchy between groups,” he stated.
Research indicates those with type O blood may experience a lower risk of COVID-19 and demonstrate better resistance to severe forms of malaria. Conversely, individuals with blood types A, B, and AB may face a higher risk of cardiovascular disease or thrombosis, with those in group A exhibiting a slightly increased predisposition to stomach cancer. People with blood type O are also noted to be less susceptible to bleeding disorders.
Despite these varying susceptibilities,Professor Tissot stresses that immunity to infections is largely secondary to factors like lifestyle and age. “Blood type is most crucial for transfusion and transplantation, not in everyday health,” he concluded.