Study: ‘O’ blood type may lower heart disease risk

People with blood types other than ‘O’ may be at increased risk of heart disease. Photo via Kimberly Vohsen.

A new study released by Harvard University researchers concludes that people with the most common blood type of O may benefit from some natural protection against heart disease. In fact, certain blood types seemed to increase heart disease risk with groups types A and B blood at a marginally increased risk of heart disease but AB blood type at a more significant risk compared to those with O blood types.

Percentage of risk (as compared to O blood types) broke down as follows:

Group A was 5% more likely to suffer from heart disease, group B — 11%, and group AB — 23%.

The study analyzed health studies involving around 90,000 individuals, both men and women, over 20 years. The study also adjusted for confounding factors such as age, diet, family history etc.

According to Fox News Latino, one doctor, independent from the study said that while the study showed that blood types could have a marginal impact on heart disease risk, the risk by blood type was still rather small. He said that other risk factors such as obesity and smoking were much more significant.

The study did not find out why blood type affects heart disease risk. Researchers hypothesized that O blood types may own a substance in their blood that increases blood flow and reduces clotting.

The senior author of the study, Dr. Lu Qi, from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, also led a study last year which suggested that blood type may increase/decrease your chances of suffering from a stroke.