Studies Indicate That People With This Blood Type May Have a Higher Chance of Living to 100
Could your blood type have something to do with how long you live? Researchers have investigated this question for years, and one intriguing study found that people with blood type B appeared more frequently among individuals who had reached the age of 100.
The finding attracted attention because it raised an interesting possibility: could certain blood groups be associated with exceptional longevity?
However, the science is more complicated than a simple “longevity blood type” claim.
The Blood Type Linked to Exceptional Longevity
A study published in Experimental Gerontology examined the ABO blood groups of 269 people who had reached at least 100 years of age in Tokyo. Researchers compared them with a control group of 7,153 people.
Among the centenarians, 29.4% had blood type B, compared with 21.9% in the control group. The researchers reported that blood type B was significantly more common among the centenarians and suggested that it might be associated with exceptional longevity.
The researchers were careful, however, not to claim that blood type B directly causes a longer life. They noted that the underlying mechanisms would require further investigation.
Why Might Blood Type Matter?
The ABO blood group system is more than a way of identifying compatible blood for transfusions. Research has shown that blood groups can be associated with differences in certain biological processes, including blood clotting and cardiovascular risk.
For example, people with non-O blood groups can have higher levels of certain clotting-related factors, potentially influencing their risk of cardiovascular and thrombotic conditions. Recent scientific reviews suggest that ABO blood groups may affect several age-related disease pathways, including vascular function, inflammation, immune responses, and blood coagulation.
These biological differences make blood type an interesting subject for longevity research—but they do not prove that one blood type determines how long a person will live.
Does Having Type B Blood Mean You Will Live to 100?
No.
This is the most important point to understand.
The original Japanese study found an association between blood type B and exceptional longevity, but an association does not prove cause and effect.
A much larger study involving 2,201 Chinese centenarians reached a different conclusion. Researchers compared the ABO blood groups of centenarians with those of 2,330 middle-aged controls and found no statistically significant differences. The researchers concluded that ABO blood groups and related genetic variants were not associated with longevity in that population.
A meta-analysis included in that research also found no statistically significant association between ABO blood types and longevity.
Longevity Is Far More Complicated
Reaching 100 is influenced by many factors. Genetics certainly plays a role, but lifestyle and environmental factors are also extremely important.
Healthy aging is generally associated with factors such as:
- Regular physical activity
- A balanced and nutritious diet
- Not smoking
- Maintaining a healthy body weight
- Good cardiovascular health
- Adequate sleep
- Strong social connections
- Regular medical care
- Managing chronic health conditions
Blood type is only one biological characteristic, and current evidence does not support using it as a reliable predictor of whether someone will become a centenarian.
What the Research Really Tells Us
The idea that blood type B may be associated with exceptional longevity comes from a real scientific study, but it should not be interpreted as proof that people with type B blood are destined to live longer.
Interestingly, research into ABO blood groups continues to evolve. A recent review concluded that blood type may act as a modest, context-dependent influence on biological pathways involved in aging and age-related disease, rather than serving as an independent predictor of lifespan.
In other words, your blood type may be biologically relevant, but it is not a crystal ball for your lifespan.
The Bottom Line
One Japanese study found that blood type B was more common among people who had reached 100 years of age, leading researchers to suggest a possible connection between type B blood and exceptional longevity.
But larger and subsequent research has not consistently reproduced this finding. Therefore, there is currently no strong scientific evidence that having blood type B significantly increases your chances of living to 100.
If you’re interested in living a longer and healthier life, the evidence points much more strongly toward maintaining healthy habits and reducing major risk factors than toward focusing on your blood type.
Your blood type may be part of your biology—but your everyday choices matter far more when it comes to healthy aging.
Sources
- Shimizu K. et al., Blood type B might imply longevity, Experimental Gerontology, 2004.
- Zhu J. et al., Allelic distribution of ABO gene in Chinese centenarians, Aging Medicine, 2020.
- Balistreri C.R. et al., ABO blood groups and ageing-related outcomes: Insights from a narrative review, 2026.