The Pros & Cons of Your Blood Type

Did you know that your blood type affects more than just who you can donate blood to? There are certain traits about each blood type that can affect your health for better or worse! Learn more with Olivia Gordon in this new episode of SciShow!
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[sapphiredixon]

I contracted malaria and fortunately I have type O blood. It lay dormant for a while after my holidays but my blood type literally saved my life!

[sallyphilpin]

My blood group saved my life. Years ago I stepped on a rusty nail so went to the hospital for an anti-tetanus injection. The nurse accidentally injected me with anti-D instead which is given to women with negative blood after childbirth or miscarriage. They didn't realise for a couple of hours then the nurse phoned me in tears. She was frantically saying sorry until I calmed her down by stating that my blood group is AB Negative.

[Onionbagel]

I've never been more delighted to have Blood type O+.

[justsomeguy]

Type O+ blood doesn't protect you from getting malaria, but it might just help you recover quicker. As a type O+ myself and living in a hot, humid equatorial climate, I've gotten malaria many times over the years. In 2 or 3 cases, it was severe enough to require hospitalisation. But I recovered rather rapidly every time.

[Edgewalker]

That's also the thing with sickle cell anemia. Some believe it's actually a mutation that was helpful to our ancestors living in areas where malaria was common. Which is why it stayed with us until today.

[lastshadow]

"Ok, time to do my homewo..." (Gets notification)
Just a few more minutes

[RayleneS]

I don't even know what blood type I am. I'd like to know, but I always forget to ask my doctor.

[Master_Therion]

If you are "A negative" person you should try to "B positive."
;)

[prettypic]

A priest, an Imam, and a rabbit walk into a Red Cross blood drive. The priest said “I’m a type A”. the Imam said “I’m a type B”. And the rabbit said “I’m a typo”

[TheSomeGui]

I love how there are references in the video description! Not all "scientific channels" do that. Congratulations for the excellent and informative job!

[AndrewTurner]

Many may disagree and many will agree as well, but I feel like Olivia is kind of a lackluster host. It's not because of her physical qualities, but when she says words; they're in one ear and out the other. She is missing a captivating quality that many of the other SciShow hosts have. This isn't to be critical, only to help improve the narrative for all of us.

[antori]

Olivia you're awesome and I honestly love listening to your voice while I do homework! great video as always scishow team! lots of love from Morocco :)

[northerniltree]

After a recent blood test, it was determined that I had AA type blood, which means that the alcohol ratio was high earlier in life.

[sumdumguy]

O neg, everyone wants my blood including me

[moonbeam]

Correction about only mentioning the H antigen in relation to the O blood type. All of the ABO types have the H antigen! It is the "pre-antigen" or as some refer to it, the "ancestor antigen" that A & B antigens are built on. Without the H antigens the A & B antigens would not present. That's the whole basis for Bombay blood type. A person with Bombay type blood has no H antigens. So regardless if A & B genotypes are present in that person, no actual A or B antigens will be produced and so that person will only present as type O. Which is why an additional test for the presence or absence of H antigens is used for double checking a type O result in regions where the Bombay type is known to exist (Mostly in the Indian sub continent and some parts of Iran) to see if the H antigen is present or not. (HH, Hh vs hh) And if the test shows there are no H antigens (hh), then the person is not a true O blood type. Instead the person is the Bombay blood type

[grampsmatt]

59 year old guy here who has a clotting disorder identical to what Olivia talked about in that Van Willebrand situation.  At age 22 had to have a Phlebotomy to drain excess blood circulating in my system.  At age 29 had my first MI (heart attack).  Over the years have had several DEEP VEIN THROMBIS (blood clots in legs) and PULMONARY EMBOLI (blood clots in lung) in addition to 3 other cardiac episode.  I now alternate between oral and injected blood thinning medication.

[babybunny]

What about rh+ and rh- blood? I know they're more of the alien blood types but it would've been nice to hear about them

[kateapples]

O- for the win o/ Ignoring the part that I'm mildly fucked if I need a transfusion.

[martindrengenxbox]

I'm O+ I just signed up as a blood donor december 29th, after the first sample was taken I was told I had a good blood count and would be a good donor if the detailed examination of my blood was positive. I was told if I didn't hear from them within 2 months it was a good sign, so I will soon do my part as a donor.

[rpsnider]

I'm just A+ but apparently there's something going on with my platelets and plasma because after I donated blood once while in the military, they asked me if I would donate just those two things as often as possible because whatever it was about them made them extremely good at healing injuries and helping recovery. I've always healed ridiculously fast, if I took a knife and sliced my arm open in a 3 inch line within 2 days it'd look over a week old and within the week it'd just be a smooth scar that looks like it has been healed for a month or more. Only downside I've noticed with it is that due to my spine/back injury I have to routinely get my nerves burnt off to help lessen the constant pain I'm in, it's supposed to last a good chunk of time but my nerves apparently also grow back much quicker than usual and so I don't get the general time frame of relief that others get, and tri-care doesn't care that I heal fast, they'll still only pay for it once every 6 months.