- Researchers are reporting that people with food sensitivities had a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Experts say that changes in the gut microbiome from food sensitivity can affect a person’s cardiovascular system.
- Food allergies are different than food sensitivities. Food allergies affect the immune system and food sensitivities involve the digestive system.
In a new study, researchers report that people with a food sensitivity to cow’s milk (lactose intolerance) and other common food allergens may have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
They published their findings today in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
The researchers used information from the National Health and Examination Survey (
A total of 5,374 participants – 4,414 from NHANES and 960 from MESA – were followed by researchers for over a decade to determine if food sensitivities could contribute to cardiovascular disease.
Previous studies have shown some food allergies are associated with
The NHANES study was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention using questionnaires and laboratory tests. Participants were 20 years and older and tested for IgE antibodies at baseline.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute sponsored the MESA study to look for cardiovascular disease risk factors. Participants were 45 to 84 years of age and did not have cardiovascular disease at the start of the study. The study included evaluating the presence of IgE and its relationship to heart disease.
IgE measures food sensitivities and allergies to cow’s milk as well as eggs, peanuts, shrimp, alpha-gal, dust mite, and timothy grass.
During the study period, there were 285 cardiovascular-related deaths – 229 in NHANES…
Read the full article here