6 unique facts about the ab blood group that you need to know

Your blood type describes your genetics, personality, and risk of disease later in life. AB blood type will show different characteristics than blood type A, B, or O, and vice versa. For one thing, type AB blood tends to be rare compared to other blood types. For more details, see the complete explanation about the unique facts of the AB blood group below.

How can someone have blood type AB?

Blood type is determined by the presence or absence of certain antigens, which are substances that can trigger an immune response if a substance is foreign to the body. You are said to have type AB blood because you have A and B antigens, but not antibodies.

You can get blood type AB because it is passed down from your parents, with the following conditions:

• The blood types of the father and mother are both A or B
• The blood types of the father and mother are both AB

Like other blood types, type AB blood can also be distinguished by the rhesus system, which is another antigen that may be present on your red blood cells. If present, your blood type is referred to as rhesus positive. However, if you don't have one, your blood type is called rhesus negative.

Blood group determination is important when you want to be a blood donor or receive blood from someone else. You can find out what blood type you have by checking your blood group.

What are the unique facts about blood type AB?

Here are the facts about blood type AB that you need to know:

1. Blood type AB is rare

If you are one of the people who have AB group, it means that you are one of the lucky few people. The reason is, this group is considered very rare in society compared to other blood groups.

Data cited by the Stanford School of Medicine shows the proportion of AB blood type in American society as follows:

• AB positive: 3.4 percent
• AB negative: 0.6 percent

Although it is still a rough percentage, it is clear that type AB blood is rare and very rare in society. However, this result also depends on the ethnic background and territory of the country. Blood type B, for example, is more common in Asians, while blood group O is mostly found in Latin America.

People with type AB blood inherit gene A from the mother or father and gene B from the mother or father. However, it is quite difficult to produce type AB blood. This is because the number of people who have blood A and B is a small number. That is why, the probability of producing this combination is low.

2. Type AB blood is the universal plasma donor

Type AB blood is also considered a universal plasma donor. This means that all blood types can accept blood plasma donors from type AB blood.

Plasma from type AB blood donors can be given to people of any blood type, so its role is very important for those in need. Plasma AB is often referred to as "Liquid gold" or "liquid gold" because of this important role.

3. Type AB blood is a universal recipient

Even though it is classified as rare, group AB has one big advantage that other blood types do not have. People with blood type AB + can receive all blood types. This is why type AB blood is called the universal recipient.

Although people with blood type AB can be plasma donors and universal recipients, this should only be done in an emergency setting as much as possible. You still need to know your blood type before donating blood or receiving a transfusion to prevent transfusion reactions.

4. More at risk of heart disease

Just like blood types A and B, type AB blood also has a higher risk of developing heart disease. This is because type AB blood has the ABO gene, which is the gene that appears in those with blood types A, B, or AB.

If you are blood type AB and live in an area with high pollution, you may have a higher risk of developing heart disease than those who don't.

Quoted from Northwestern Medicine, people with blood type AB have a higher risk of heart disease because of a higher level of inflammation. Therefore, it is important to live a healthy lifestyle in order to maintain a healthy heart.

5. More at risk of brain dysfunction and memory loss

The Penn Medicine website states that those who have the ABO gene, including those with type AB blood, have a higher risk for brain and memory problems. This condition can lead to dementia.

This may be because type AB blood is a type of blood that can bring you closer to certain conditions, one of which is diabetes. Research published in the National Library of Medicine found that people with type AB blood have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus compared to other blood types.

6. More at risk of some types of cancer

The photo of internal organs is on the women's body against gray background, Concepts of health problems

Several studies have shown that people with blood type AB are among those who have a higher risk of developing stomach cancer than others. Research published by Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Systems Biology And Medicine also states that people with blood type AB have the highest risk after blood type B for pancreatic cancer.

In addition, the same journal shows that people with blood type AB are also at high risk of getting smallpox, a bacteria E. coli , and salmonella.