Blood type legacy [Part 1]

For starters, it is most important that we identify our blood types. Make sure the next time you have blood work, you make them type and cross match you and give you a report. Even high schoolers should be able to have that done as a class project in one of their life science classes. To definitively know, off the top of your head, your blood type could save your life as time is of the utmost in that “Golden Hour!”

We will start with Type A blood. This type typically carries with it the elevated risk for gastric (stomach) ulcers, cancer and pancreatic cancer. As this info is disclosed, be sure to keep in mind that living a good, responsible and healthy-choices lifestyle can definitely override the predisposition!

Type A has been a higher risk for COVID-19, according to researchers.

The stomach cancer is caused from the H-Pylori bacteria which causes inflammation, ulcers and potentially—cancer of the stomach.

The elevated risk of pancreatic cancer is thought to have a connection between cell adhesion and signaling. ABO (blood types) genes encode enzymes that attach certain glucose molecules to proteins and lipids (glycoproteins) on cell surfaces, not simply on red blood cells but in pancreatic tissue, also. Changes in how these antigens are expressed may disrupt how cells signal, stick together or undergo normal regulation—thus allowing tumor formation.

Blood-type antigens influence systemic levels of inflammatory molecules, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) chronic inflammation is a known risk factor (catalyst) for pancreatic cellular damage and malignancy. Also, altered surface sugars on developing normal cells can make it harder for the immune system to recognize and destroy pre-cancer cells.

Microbial interactions—so non-O blood types show altered susceptibility to infections like H-Pylori which can cause systematic or gastrointestinal inflammation linked to pancreatic cancer risk.

A genetic marker proxy, the ABO gene located on chromosome 9q34 might simply be closely inherited alongside other nearby genetic variants that directly drive cancer causing susceptibility rather than causing it directly.

Keep in mind, too, that because the lifetime risk of pancreatic cancer is low (about 1.3%) and the risk variance tied to the blood type is modest, doctors do not use blood type alone for routine cancer screening, but rely, also, on lifestyle.

Heart and blood conditions for type A, AB would be at an elevated risk for coronary heart disease, blood clots such as deep vein thrombosis (leg) and pulmonary embolism (lung).

Type A is predisposed for experiencing a stroke prior to the age of 60. Also, type A is more proved, according to researchers, for contracting the COVID type infections—much more so than the Type O.