By The GlycanAge Team
Knowing your blood type is the key to unlocking vital information about your health, including longevity, disease development, and physical vitality, empowering you to make personalised decisions to extend your health span. However, GPs and healthcare professionals don’t typically conduct a test for blood type unless it’s for a specific medical reason.
There are four main blood groups: type A, type B, type AB, and type O. Each of these blood types can be positive or negative for the Rhesus (Rh) factor, meaning there are eight possible blood types in total.
If you’re curious about which blood group you belong to, keep reading to learn how to find out your blood type at home with a blood type test kit. We’ll explore how they work, why it’s important to know your blood type, and where to buy blood type tests.
ABO typing is a blood type test that identifies specific antigens inherited from your parents and may be present on the surface of your red blood cells through a process of forward and reverse typing.
Depending on how a person's red blood cells clump together (agglutination), their blood type is then categorised into one of the four abovementioned groups based on whether they have A antigens, B antigens, both, or neither.
A further test, known as the Rh grouping system, is then carried out to determine whether red blood cells are Rh-positive or Rh-negative based on these same clumping patterns.
Home blood typing kits are a quick and easy way to identify your blood type in the comfort and privacy of your own home. A home blood type test kit contains a testing card, a lancet (a fine needle), a pipette (a plastic dropper), an alcoholic cleansing wipe, a mixing stick, and an illustrated instruction guide.
You simply prick your finger with the lancet to draw a drop of blood and transfer it to the testing card. This card contains chemicals called reagents that react according to your blood type. Depending on how the blood clumps or spreads, you then match the reaction to the instruction guide provided to accurately determine which of the eight blood types you fall into.
There are many occasions where knowing your blood type is essential; however, healthcare professionals don’t usually carry out blood tests unless it’s required for a specific medical reason.
For instance, if a person has suffered extreme blood loss as a result of surgery or trauma and requires a blood transfusion, then doctors will need to know their blood group. Blood, organ, tissue, and bone marrow donors will also need to know their blood type prior to a transplant procedure.
Not all blood types are compatible; therefore, it is crucial that the blood type of the donor matches that of the recipient. A mismatch in blood types can trigger an immunogenic reaction whereby the recipient’s body rejects the blood, which can be fatal.
If you’re pregnant, knowing whether you’re Rh positive or negative is especially important if you're pregnant because your blood type may be incompatible with your developing foetus. In such cases, the body elicits an immune response, producing antibodies that attack the baby’s red blood cells, resulting in disease.
There are many ways to determine your blood type in the UK, including visiting your doctor’s surgery or local hospital. You can also find out your blood type by becoming a blood donor through the NHS Blood And Transplant service; your blood group will be recorded on your donor card. These options are all free on the NHS.
Other than that, you can book a private blood group test with a clinical laboratory for a predetermined price.
If your blood typing test is a medical necessity, the cost will usually be covered by your health insurance; however, if you request a blood typing test on your own, you will have to pay for it out-of-pocket.
Non-profit organisations, such as the American Red Cross, hold regular blood drives for volunteers to donate their blood to use in hospitals and global emergencies. This service is free, but it may take several weeks to receive your donor card, which indicates your blood group.
If you would rather discover your blood group sooner and in private, you can purchase a blood type test online, from your local pharmacy, or book an appointment with a clinical laboratory.
Some blood types are linked to a higher risk for certain diseases, so knowing your blood type is essential to staying healthy, both now and in the future.
Additionally, finding out how well your body is ageing compared to your chronological age can accurately predict your lifespan.
A GlycanAge test is a perfect accompaniment to a blood type test to give you a comprehensive insight into the overall state of your health, empower you to make personalised and informed decisions to prevent the onset of disease, and increase longevity and vitality as you age.
All it takes is a quick and easy finger prick test to take your health matters into your own hands. Once you’ve submitted your blood sample to the GlycanAge lab, it’ll take 3-5 weeks to carry out comprehensive tests and return a personalised report on your results.
This report will provide key information on how factors, including your lifestyle, nutrition, illness, exercise, and genetics, have impacted your immune system and, subsequently, your biological age. You will also receive complimentary 1-1 consultations with scientists and healthcare professionals to understand your results, devise an action plan to prolong and reverse your biological age, and improve your overall wellness as you get older.
With various price points and payment plans available, there is an option to suit each person who wants an accurate, reliable, and affordable way to determine their health state. Start your wellness journey today by ordering your GlycanAge home testing kit.
Doctors do not typically check people’s blood groups as part of their routine medical health check unless specifically requested. Such information is only necessary under certain circumstances, such as during pregnancy, when donating blood, organs, tissues, or bone marrow, or in case of a blood transfusion. In these scenarios, the healthcare professional would carry out the tests themselves rather than rely on the patient’s word to avoid errors.
At-home blood typing kits are accurate 99.9% of the time when used correctly, making them a reliable, quick, and easy way of discovering your blood group and type in the comfort and privacy of your home. For the test to return accurate results, it is important to extract sufficient blood, follow the enclosed instructions carefully, store the kit properly, and use it before the expiration date.
By The GlycanAge Team
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