Losing your memory as you get older may seem like a sad inevitability, but dementia does not affect everyone. In fact, many people make it older, without ever losing their memory and other cognitive functions. So, what causes dementia? Because there are so many different variations and the possible risk factors, it is difficult to determine one source. However, it seems that one of your innate characteristics may play a role: one study found that your blood type may increase your risk for dementia. Read on to find out which blood type is associated with a higher risk, and for more things your blood type can tell you: If you have this blood type, your heart attack risk is higher, study says.
If you have blood type AB, you are more likely to develop dementia.
A 2014 study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, found a link between blood type and dementia. Researchers for the study – which was part of a larger study among more than 30,000 people observed for more than three years – identified 495 participants who had thinking and memory during the study, comparing it to 587 people who had no cognitive did not experience impairment. They found that people with blood type AB were 82 percent more likely to develop thinking and memory problems that could lead to dementia than those with other blood types. And to pay attention to more risk factors, it is less than you spend so many hours a night reducing your dementia.
This may be due to a protein that people with AB blood are more likely to have.
Researchers for the study also looked at the blood levels of factor VIII, which is a protein that helps the blood clot. According to the study, people with a high level of factor VIII proteins also had a higher risk of dementia, as they were 24 percent more likely to develop thinking and memory problems than people with a lower level of this protein. Study co-author in an article for The Conversation Kristine Alexander, PhD, a medical policy research analyst for Cambia Health Solutions, wrote that people with blood group AB have the highest levels of factor VIII – almost 40 percent higher than those with blood group O. And for more useful health content delivered directly to your inbox word. , subscribe to our daily newsletter.
People with AB blood also have a higher risk of stroke, which can lead to dementia.
In another 2014 study conducted by the same group of researchers – and part of the same larger study – it was found that blood group AB compared to blood group O is associated with an increased risk of stroke, while blood group A and B are not was not. According to WebMD, people with stroke are more likely to develop dementia than people who do not. In fact, about one in four people who have had a stroke will develop signs of dementia.
“Blood type is also linked to other vascular conditions such as stroke, so the findings highlight the link between vascular problems and brain health,” Mary Cushman, MD, an author for both studies and a hematologist at the University of Vermont Medical Center, said in a statement. And for more information on stroke risks, check out these 17 surprising habits that increase your risk for stroke.
However, blood group AB is the least common blood group.
Fortunately, if you do not know your blood type, chances are you do not have blood type AB. According to the American Red Cross, blood group AB is the least common blood group in the USA. Less than 1 percent of Americans have AB-negative blood, while less than 4 percent have AB-positive blood. By comparison, about 43 percent of Americans have type O blood.
“With that in mind, there is no need to panic if your blood type has AB. There are a number of lifestyle factors that can reduce your risk for cognitive problems and dementia, and many of them have a greater impact than your blood type.” Alexander wrote for The Conversation, mentioning that they eat well and get exercise as two healthy lifestyle choices that are “important for heart and brain health.” Alexander added that “maintaining blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar will also reduce the risk of these problems.” And for more risks associated with blood types, if you have a blood A, you have a greater risk for this type of cancer.