Epoch HealthThe Link Between Blood Types and Risks of COVID-19, Cancer, and Other Diseases

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Recent research has established significant correlations between ABO blood types and susceptibility to various diseases, including COVID-19, cancer, and cardiovascular conditions. These findings from multiple studies, including a large-scale analysis of 5.1 million people by Karolinska Institutet, provide valuable insights for clinical risk assessment and patient care strategies.

Key Points:

• COVID-19 Susceptibility: Type A blood cells show 20% higher infection risk after SARS-CoV-2 exposure compared to type O. Higher ACE2 receptor levels in type A individuals facilitate increased viral binding rates, particularly with the Omicron variant.
• Cancer Risk Variations: Non-O blood types demonstrate elevated pancreatic cancer risk (type A: 32%, AB: 51%, B: 72%). Type A blood correlates with increased H. pylori susceptibility, while type O shows protective effects against colorectal, gastric, and breast cancers.
• Cardiovascular Implications: Meta-analysis of 90,000 individuals reveals increased coronary heart disease risk in non-O blood types (A: 6%, B: 15%, AB: 23%) compared to type O.
• Cognitive Function: Type AB blood correlates with 82% higher cognitive impairment risk, associated with elevated factor VIII levels characteristic of this blood type.
• Disease Associations: Karolinska study identified connections between ABO blood groups and 49 distinct diseases, including increased clotting risk in type A and bleeding disorders in type O.

“We show that the part of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that’s key to enabling the virus to invade cells displays affinity for blood group A cells, and the virus in turn also shows a preferential ability to infect blood group A cells.”
– Dr. Sean R. Stowell, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital

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