Can your blood type explain why mosquitoes bite you more than others? Experts weigh in.
It’s the season for barbecues, bonfires, and spending late summer days outside with friends and family. When enjoying the great outdoors, if you find yourself getting bitten by mosquitoes more than most, you’re not alone in wondering why. Some researchers believe there may be an answer to this frustrating phenomenon, and it may just have to do with your blood type.
Is it actually possible for mosquitoes to be attracted to one blood type over another? We asked the experts to dispel fact from fiction, and break down the reasons why mosquitoes might like to bite you more than others.
What blood type do mosquitoes like?
Recent studies have considered whether mosquitoes show preference to a particular blood type. According to one 2019 study, researchers concluded that mosquitoes were most attracted to type O blood in relation to all other blood types.
However, the idea that mosquitoes favor one blood type over another is still a controversial one. “Most researchers report that what [mosquitoes] are attracted to likely has more to do with chemical cues, body heat, and odor rather than blood type,” says Dr. Toral Vaidya, MD, MPH, a dermatologist.
“It’s more likely that mosquito attraction is more complex,” agrees Dr. Lindsey Zubritsky, MD, FAAD, a board certified dermatologist. Sweat, lactic acid production, skin microbes, and clothing choices are additional factors as to why mosquitoes may be attracted to you, she says.
Do some people get bitten by mosquitoes more than others?
“It is definitely possible that people are being bit more by mosquitoes than others,” Zubritsky says. “Being a ‘mosquito magnet’ is a real entity.”
“Furthermore, some people are more sensitive and responsive to mosquito bites than others, thus making the bites more of a nuisance and much more noticeable and symptomatic,” she says.
“Some people do get bitten more and there is science that demonstrates this,” adds Dr. Jason Newland, Chief of Infectious Diseases at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Recent studies have shown that body odor may influence your attractiveness to mosquitoes, he says.
“Every person has a unique scent profile made up of different chemical compounds,” Vaidya explains. “Mosquitoes are drawn to people whose skin produces high levels of carboxylic acids,” she says.
Additionally, there is evidence to suggest that “pregnant women are more likely to be bitten than non-pregnant women,” Newland says.
Do mosquitoes bite more if you eat sugar?
If it feels like you attract mosquitoes like a magnet, you’ve probably heard the saying that you must have “sweet” blood. However, the adage that mosquitoes “like you because you are ‘sweet’ is likely not so true,” Newland says. Rather, “the odors we give off and other biologic factors like blood type may play a role,” he reiterates.
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Mosquitoes “are attracted to lactic acid, so theoretically those foods that speed up metabolism and increase lactic acid could potentially attract more mosquitoes,” Zubritsky says. Therefore, if you eat lots of foods that contain lots of sugar and caffeine or spicy food, it’s possible that you could be more prone to mosquito bites.