Research has shown that individuals with type A blood are more likely to experience a stroke before the age of 60 compared to those with other blood types. This finding comes from a study published in 2022, in which genomics researchers analyzed data from 48 genetic studies involving approximately 17,000 individuals who had experienced a stroke and nearly 600,000 non-stroke controls, all aged between 18 and 59 years.

The study revealed a clear association between the gene for the A1 subgroup and early onset stroke. Specifically, individuals with a variation of the A group gene were found to have a 16 percent higher risk of experiencing a stroke before the age of 60, while those with a gene for group O1 had a 12 percent lower risk.

Despite the increased risk for individuals with type A blood, researchers emphasized that the additional risk is small and does not warrant extra vigilance or screening within this group. Senior author and vascular neurologist, Steven Kittner from the University of Maryland, highlighted that the reason behind the higher risk associated with blood type A remains unknown but is likely linked to factors such as blood-clotting, platelets, blood vessel lining cells, and other circulating proteins.

These findings shed light on the potential influence of blood type on an individual’s risk of stroke, providing valuable insights for future research and medical considerations.