Lifestyle

6 Scientific Reasons Why Mosquitoes Are Always Attracted to Certain People Only

2018-08-11 , 9:36 am

Last Updated on 2023-04-08 , 5:52 pm

This would have been familiar to a few of us: in a group of friends, you’re the only one who knows that a mosquito is buzzing around you guys.

You’re already convinced that your blood is “sweeter” than your friends’, and that if vampires were real, you would be the first victim.

But sweeter blood—how true is that?

Not really, since even humans can’t smell something sweet. If so, then why are some people mosquito magnets while others just seem to…elude all mosquitoes? Here are the facts!

You have genes that attract mosquitoes

Well, there’s nothing much you can do about this. It’s not your blood but your skin; in fact, scientists believe that genetics account for—wait for it, man, wait for it—85% of our susceptibility to mosquito bites!

These could be attributed to a number of chemicals on your skin, but let’s skip the science lesson and just know that it’s nothing you can do.

You are overweight or obese

Unfortunately, this is true—the heavier you are, the more likely that mosquitoes will target you. While the surface area is one factor, the main factor is that heavier people breathe out and give out more carbon dioxide, and mosquitoes are attracted to that. In fact, they can detect carbon dioxide from 50 metres away.

So, maybe this will give you one more reason to exercise?

You sweat a lot easily

We all have experienced mosquitoes biting us more when we sweat, and this due to either the heat on our skin (mosquitoes like higher temperature) or the lactic acid we have on our skin when we exercise.

The higher the intensity, the more lactic acid we’ll give out (as a by-product), and the more mosquitoes can sense you without even looking.

You have Type O blood

There has been a study that shows that mosquitoes prefer Type O twice than people with Type A. Type B are somewhere in the middle of Type O and Type A. Oh, you sway you O loh.

You always wear dark clothing

You’ll need to understand how silly a mosquito is to fully comprehend this point (hey, it’s not an intelligent life form after all), but mosquitoes do prefer darker clothes. So wear light-coloured clothes and mosquitoes might think that you’re merely a passing wind.

You’re an alcoholic

Surprised? Well, there have been studies done to determine that, and the theory is that it increases blood flow to the skin, and therefore altering the skin to an extent that makes it more attractive.

But whatever it is, it’s one hell of a good reason to stop drinking so much.