Why Should You Know Your Blood Type?
The blood was classified in 1901 by an Austrian physician known as Karl Landsteiner. He mixed blood from different people and found compatibility between some of them, while not others. He was the creator of the blood type: AB0 system.
Today, it is important to know each blood group, especially in emergency situations and accidents. Likewise, it is also convenient to know this information, both to prevent and to diagnose and treat a wide variety of diseases.
What are the blood groups?
Blood types are determined primarily by proteins found on the surface of cells, called antigens. These can cause an immune system response to any blood group that is not compatible, through antibodies.
It was found that there were two antigens (A and B) in the cell wall, in addition to also containing antibodies in the plasma (Anti-A and Anti-B.), The plasma being the content of the blood without taking into account the cells. In this way, 4 main types were established, including:
- TO
- B
- AB
- 0
In addition, another protein on the surface of cells must be taken into account, which will also be part of the blood groups: the Rh factor. There are the following:
- Rh positive. They present the protein in their cells.
- Rh negative. They do not present it.
What is the importance of knowing the blood type?
Usually, people know about blood groups only for some traumatic cause, blood transfusions, accidents, and so on. But, beyond this, it is convenient to know that it is good to learn about these issues in order to avoid, control and treat countless conditions that are influenced by the body’s proteins.
Disease prevention, treatment and control
- Donate blood.
- Receive blood transfusions in emergency situations.
- Organ transplants
- Prevent or control heart disease. Group AB has a higher risk of suffering them. People in group O have the lowest risk.
- Avoid hypercholesterolemia. People with group A have higher cholesterol levels.
- Detect predisposition to deep vein thrombosis. There is a higher genetic risk in groups A, B and AB.
- Monitor the tendency to certain types of cancer. For example, group A and its relationship to stomach cancer.
- Nourish yourself correctly. It is believed that people with type 0 blood should increase their intake in protein foods.
- Know the predisposition for fat accumulation (also related to cardiovascular risk). People in group A digest carbohydrates better and accumulate less abdominal fat, unlike those in group 0.
- Know the causes of stress. People in group A produce, to a greater extent, cortisol (stress hormone) and those in group 0 have higher levels of adrenaline.
- Know what type of exercise is recommended. For example, it is said that those in group A should, due to stress, do relaxing exercises.
- Control and treat problems in reproduction. There is a higher rate of infertility in women of group O.
- Furthermore, there is an Rh incompatibility in pregnancies with mother (Rh negative) and child (Rh positive). This can lead to the fact that, especially after the second pregnancy, the woman damages the fetus by creating antibodies that destroy the cells of the fetus and can be fatal for the future baby.
Know your blood type: an important fact
As has been observed, there is information provided by blood groups that is key to controlling the state of health from many aspects. Even knowing this information is key for periods such as pregnancy.
For this reason, doctors usually establish the blood type before starting any treatment. In addition, it is a relevant piece of information in emergency situations where transfusions are necessary.
