AI Summary
Sensitivity to common food allergens like dairy and peanuts may increase the risk of heart disease, even in people without known food allergies. This risk could be comparable to smoking, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers found that producing antibodies in response to these foods was associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular-related death, regardless of other risk factors. Cow's milk showed the strongest link, but peanuts and shrimp were also significant. While this study does not prove causation, it adds to previous research on the connection between allergic inflammation and heart disease. Approximately 15% of adults produce antibodies to these common foods.
Sensitivity to common food allergens such as dairy and peanuts could be an important and previously unappreciated cause of heart disease, new research suggests – and the increased risk for cardiovascular death includes people without obvious food allergies.
Dairy and common foods such as peanuts could be an important and previously unappreciated cause of heart disease, new research suggests – and the increased risk for cardiovascular death even includes people without obvious food allergies. Image Credit: UVA Health
That increased risk could equal – or exceed – the risks posed by smoking, as well as diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, the researchers report.
UVA Health scientists and their collaborators looked at thousands of adults over time and found that people who produced antibodies in response to dairy and other foods were at elevated risk of cardiovascular-related death. This was true even when traditional risk factors for heart disease, such as smoking, high blood pressure and diabetes, were taken into account. The strongest link was for cow’s milk, but other allergens such as peanut and shrimp were also significant.
The troubling finding represents the first time that “IgE” antibodies to common foods have been linked to increased risk of cardiovascular mortality, the researchers report. The findings do not conclusively prove that food antibodies are causing the increased risk, but the work builds on prior studies connecting allergic inflammation and heart disease.
Approximately 15% of adults produce IgE antibodies in response to cow’s milk, peanuts and other foods. While