Blood type AB, a genetic failure in the modern world?

[Drogin]

I got blood type AB, and I've read in some newspapers and publications online, about pros and cons of the AB bloodtype.

Though please note I'm not talking about the japanese personality mumbo jumbo, or the "eat right for your blood type" scams,

I'm talking about scientific and statistical experiments hinting of blood type actually having a relevance at certain health issues.

 

 

From what I can gather, the good sides of blood type AB is:

+ Often very good protection from Cholera, and the Norwalk virus.

 

Some bad sides are:

- Risk of stroke, and various artery diseases are skyhigh(I've read values ranging from 20% to 40% higher than those with blood type O), because the blood clots easier.

- Possible weakness towards malaria, dengue fever

- Increased chance of certain types of cancer

 

 

Now, I live in the western world, were we have clean water, a developed sewage system, anti-biotics, and what not.

Cholera and norwalk arent any issue at all... and it's actually true, I never get infected by the norwalk or stomach bugs...but really, this doesent make up for having 40% greater chance of having stroke, malaria and what not.

Stroke kills you, people infected with the norwalk/stomach issue just gotta suck it up for a few days and be good as new.

 

I'm sure people with blood type AB and B have an advantage among poor people in Zimbabwe, India and countries with poor sanitation, where cholera and norwalk actually kills a lot of people...

But in the western world with our clean water, people like me, with blood type AB seems at a huge disadvantage...?

Edited July 2, 2012 by Drogin

[Cyph3r]

Well it kind of does but again your blood was designed to be able to accept any other blood type out there so even though you have viral disadvantages you have a greater chance of living in the end at least in the Western world, think about it if you had a stroke which normally leads to a heart attack you will need a blood transfusion if you ended up in surgery for you they could grab any bag of blood and start filling you up, unlike a persons with a type O who well can only get from other O blood types.

I would like to view this research and if they just Tested AB or if they tested All types.

[Hooman]

I am O+ .

I had absolutely no idea about these differences between different blood types.

Now I feel much better, thank you!

[ecoli]

Well it kind of does but again your blood was designed to be able to accept any other blood type out there so even though you have viral disadvantages you have a greater chance of living in the end at least in the Western world, think about it if you had a stroke which normally leads to a heart attack you will need a blood transfusion if you ended up in surgery for you they could grab any bag of blood and start filling you up, unlike a persons with a type O who well can only get from other O blood types.

I would like to view this research and if they just Tested AB or if they tested All types.

 

Not really. Blood antigens where not designed, nor did they evolve in the context where blood transfusions are possible.

[Ahsan Iqbal]

my opinion on the issue is slightly different. You said that the risk of CV (cardiovascular) diseases in AB group people is about 30-40% higher than in people with O group. The question I am going to ask is how many people will be affected by a CV disease just because they are AB. The answer should be very few if not none. Other factors like diet, lifestyle etc are much much more important than your blood group. Once these major factors are controlled, the role of your blood group becomes negligible...

 

And if modern world means drinking alcohol, eating lots of junk and doing nothing but sitting or sleeping, then all blood types are a genetic failure. Some more than others, but they are all failures..

Edited September 10, 2012 by Ahsan Iqbal