# What's your blood type? Do you even know? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 20, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-blood-type-do-you-even-know/300314 "2005-04-20T21:06:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2005, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-blood-type-do-you-even-know/300314/102 "2005-04-21T15:20:05Z")
O+ for me, O- for Mrs. Butler, and O- for the new butlerette. I gave last on Tuesday, 4/19. The Red Cross loves me not only due to the frequency of my donations, but also that I have a large quantity of chicken pox anitbodies, which they use (or used to) make VZIG (Verizella Zoster Immune Globulin) which they use to treat pregnant women and leukemia patinets at risk for chicken pox… (or used to). Either way, I like to donate, as I can make more, and if it helps someone out, all the better! 🙂 -Butler ---
**Author:** ![nocturnal\_tick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@nocturnal\_tick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nocturnal_tick)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2005, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-blood-type-do-you-even-know/300314/103 "2005-04-21T17:35:26Z")
O+ for me. ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2005, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-blood-type-do-you-even-know/300314/104 "2005-04-21T17:43:34Z")
I just donated again yesterday. I’m O postive, CMV negative. Like **sushiwriter** said, CMV negative blood is used for babies, especially premature infants. My blood goes to treat babies at St. Jude’s Cancer hospital. If you have CMV negative blood, that means you’ve never had cytomegalovirus and so don’t have the antibodies for it. It’s not a big deal for adults and children, but it can be serious for babies. -Lil ---
**Author:** ![OldBroad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@OldBroad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldBroad)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2005, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-blood-type-do-you-even-know/300314/105 "2005-04-21T18:31:06Z")
B+ I used to donate, but cancer put a stop to that. I recently heard though that after 10 years or so they’ll accept blood again. I need to check on that. ---
**Author:** ![bdandhr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@bdandhr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdandhr)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-blood-type-do-you-even-know/300314/106 "2005-04-21T19:13:39Z")
Aye Bee Paws ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-blood-type-do-you-even-know/300314/107 "2005-04-21T19:13:59Z")
Mom is A+, Dad was O+ I’m O- (as was one of my uncles, on my Mom’s side) Married and A+ and had kids who are A+, A-, and O-. I googled that Blood Type Personality stuff and it doesn’t fit me. Apparently Os are supposed to be outgoing and direct. Um, no. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2005, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-blood-type-do-you-even-know/300314/108 "2005-04-21T20:24:10Z")
> [@MidwinterF1](#): > > Type B- here. > > Here’s a fairly interesting chart of how common your blood group is in each population, there was a global map of distribution but I can’t find it. Kind of interesting that blood group B is far more common in Asia than Europe, maybe Genghis Khan was my great great great great great granddad. 😃 > > I always did have a strange fascination with small furry hats… > > [http://www.bloodbook.com/world-abo.html](http://www.bloodbook.com/world-abo.html) Fascinating links! My mom is B- too. Maybe Genghis Khan was my great great great great great granddad too. Hi, cousin! 😃 I like furry hats, too. I bought one from a website called Russian Legacy. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2005, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-blood-type-do-you-even-know/300314/109 "2005-04-21T20:49:35Z")
I did my own blood test in high school biology and came up with A+. I found out years later that I had done it right. My mom is A+, my Dad is O+ and my brother is O+. That means my mom is AO, My dad is OO, my brother is OO and I am AO. ---
**Author:** ![NE\_Texan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e99b99/32.png) [@NE\_Texan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NE_Texan)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-blood-type-do-you-even-know/300314/110 "2005-04-21T21:06:43Z")
I always study hard for my blood tests, 'cuz I wouldn’t want to get less than an A+ on them. Worked so far. ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-blood-type-do-you-even-know/300314/111 "2005-04-21T21:13:02Z")
I’m A+ and DeHusband is A-. ---
**Author:** ![Cherry8943](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Cherry8943](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cherry8943)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-blood-type-do-you-even-know/300314/112 "2005-04-22T00:37:24Z")
I’m A+ I have a few questions: If someone donates blood does it make him/her lose weight…like maybe a pound or so? I’m not asking this because I want to lose weight but I thought if you donate blood you’re losing some kind of weight. Maybe half a pound? How much blood do they take when you do donate? Do they test for Hepatitis, HIV, ADIS, etc. before they take your blood? Here’s my biggest question… What blood types are common among blacks, whites, latinos, asians? ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-blood-type-do-you-even-know/300314/113 "2005-04-22T14:11:20Z")
Do I even know? “O” I’m positive. ---
**Author:** ![NE\_Texan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e99b99/32.png) [@NE\_Texan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NE_Texan)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-blood-type-do-you-even-know/300314/114 "2005-04-22T15:37:50Z")
I donated blood a few weeks ago. They took a pint, I believe, which I think is typical. Weight loss: yes and no. Obviously you immediately lose the amount of the blood loss - that is, if you weighed yourself before and after donating, you’d be lighter. A pint of water weighs just over a pound, and blood is slightly denser than water (that’s a typical check for iron in your blood they’ll run, by the way). So you immediately lose about a pound. However, that’s not like losing a pound of fat. It’s blood loss, and your body is balanced to maintain a certain proportion of blood to body mass. So as you drink in fluids, your body will quickly replenish the fluid amount in your body; and (more gradually) will make more red blood cells until you’re back where you were. Tests: yes. They first ask you, and reject your blood if you know you have various things, or even if you’re in high-risk groups. They also tell you (generally give you something written) that they’re going to test for X, Y, and Z (specifically HIV; Hepatitis I think; and some others), and they’ll reject if they find it. They don’t do this while you wait; they take the blood, and a sample to test, which goes to a lab. They throw the blood out later if the test comes back bad. They also tell you not to donate blood just to get a test for these viruses - there are better ways to get free tests. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-blood-type-do-you-even-know/300314/115 "2005-04-22T15:42:27Z")
> [@SolGrundy](#): > > I’m O negative. > > I understand that that’s a very useful blood type to have for some reason (universal donor? acceptor? it’s rare? something?), so the Red Cross should love me. But unfortunately I’ve got that whole selfish, indulgent, sinful mental illness so I need not apply. Heh, I’ve got the useless AB+, but _they_ don’t know that I’ve caught the Gay. I just told them that I was ineligible to donate, and asked if I could have the free bracelet. Hah. ---
**Author:** ![Mint\_Julep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc79bd/32.png) [@Mint\_Julep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mint_Julep)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-blood-type-do-you-even-know/300314/116 "2005-04-22T17:38:44Z")
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