Which blood type is the best performer?

Can your blood type reveal something about your performance? Not from a dietary perspective (that's unfounded), but perhaps as a biological marker. This article delves into what ABO blood types are, the reasons they might be associated with other bodily attributes, and insights from a new study on performance. The main query is whether blood type relates to endurance and athletic outcomes. The conclusion remains cautious: some research suggests blood type O might be more common among top performers, but studies are still in their infancy, the data is limited, and the findings don't imply that blood type itself is the cause of superior performance. Training remains the key factor.

Okay, this might feel a bit controversial, but we're diving in anyway. This article should absolutely not be associated with blood type diets — they are pure nonsense. It was a Frenchman in the 1990s who claimed that people with different blood types should eat differently to feel good, and that the right diet could cure both cancer and AIDS. These claims have, of course, been scrutinized by medical experts and there is no support for them. End of story.

But enough about diet talk — let's get into something that might actually be interesting for the Perform Better crowd. A study recently published titled “Influence of ABO blood group on sports performance” might be relevant for us. We found few studies in the research databases on this topic, so this is a relatively new field. But first, a bit of background.

We humans have one of four different blood types: A, B, 0, or AB. These categories are based on different antigens that form carbohydrate structures on the surface of red blood cells (and also on some other cells). For example, if you have blood type A, you have an antigen that also affects other parts of the body and can be linked to certain characteristics (but no — you unfortunately won't become Spider‑Man).

A study examining evolutionary links between blood types, lifespan, mortality, and disease patterns shows, among other things, that individuals with blood type B generally live a bit shorter than those with blood type A and 0. The same review also shows that among people who live to 100 years or older (centenarians), about 70% have blood type 0. Blood type 0 is also correlated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, which are a common cause of death. It is important to emphasize that this does not show causal relationships — the conclusion is rather that blood types can be a simple measuring tool that reflects other biological differences.

The study specifically examining athletic performance found that individuals with blood type O outperformed those with type A or B. However, it was a small study: only 52 runners participated, with an average half marathon time of 1:52. So, while not elite athletes, they weren't beginners either. 

The study found that those with blood type O performed about 10% better than other blood groups.

We ourselves are skeptical of the idea that blood type alone would dictate performance, but it’s not unlikely that a correlation exists—there may be underlying physiological differences associated with blood type.

There is also a similar study on elite athletes in water polo which found that blood type O was overrepresented among the elite (72.2% of the elite athletes had blood type O).

There is a connection, and it's worth taking seriously, but the research area is still in its early stages and needs much more data. To learn more about how blood types are distributed and how genetics determine a child's blood type, you can visit GeBlod. Blood type O is the most common blood type in many populations (Black 49%, White 44%, Asian 43%), which can reasonably be interpreted as blood type O having some form of evolutionary advantage.

Based on the fact that running and running economy seem to correlate with reduced mortality, and blood type O correlates with better running performance, we can gather the evidence and assume that there might be some advantage for blood type O in endurance sports. In short: for those of you with blood type O — nice work, you might have a slight advantage. Smart cookies.

Your blood type affects more than just the appearance of your red blood cells. The antigens that determine your blood type also seem to influence a range of other functions, making blood type a kind of window into other biological traits. For example, the fact that our gut microbiota differs among different blood groups can have significant effects.

In summary, blood type O statistically seems to be the group with the highest chance of living longer and performing better in several respects. Exactly why is still unclear, and there is still a lack of hard data on performance differences between blood types. Moreover, it's not something you can change — you have the blood type you have, just as you have your genetic makeup.

So keep training, compare yourself with the right references, and take this as a new piece in the puzzle of understanding what affects performance in relation to the person next to you on the starting line.