Even subtle allergic reactions to everyday foods like dairy can have a real impact on heart health. A large-scale analysis in the United States examined data from thousands of patients, including those without known allergies, and found a notable link to cardiovascular disease. The findings were reported in Medical Insider-like coverage summarized from American research teams.
Food allergies arise when the immune system misreads certain food proteins as threats. This misreading involves immunoglobulin E, a key immune component, which interacts with food molecules and sparks the release of inflammatory substances, including histamine.
Some of the most common allergenic foods include cow’s milk, peanuts, eggs, shellfish, crustaceans, fish, tree nuts, soy, wheat, sesame, rice, and certain fruits. Allergy prevalence is estimated to affect about one in ten people worldwide. The World Health Organization has observed a rise in this problem over recent years, particularly in developed nations. While children bear the largest burden, adults are not exempt from these reactions either.
A primary symptom is a skin rash that can be subtle or easily overlooked. If left unattended, allergic reactions may lead to more serious complications and health concerns.
Beyond surface symptoms, the body’s response to allergens can involve internal organs. When allergies flare, immune activity targets the lungs, digestive system, and kidneys. Recent U.S. research suggests that sensitivity to common food allergens such as dairy and peanuts may play an important and previously underappreciated role in cardiovascular disease (CVD). These conclusions come from a synthesis of large health databases and patient histories across the country.
The study drew on data from two major U.S. health projects, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). These sources provide detailed information on lifestyle, eating patterns, and medical diagnoses for hundreds of thousands of individuals.
Analyses focused on levels of IgE in the blood and identified several groups: individuals with no clear allergy signs but elevated general IgE, and those with specific reactivity to products such as cow’s milk, peanuts, and other foods. Researchers built models to estimate cardiovascular risk by factors such as gender, age, ethnicity, education, and smoking status, while also considering prior CVD, hypertension, diabetes, and asthma. In total, 5374 people participated, with 285 deaths attributed to cardiovascular disease during the follow-up periods of roughly 15 years for NHANES and 19 years for MESA.
The results indicated that people with antibodies to cow’s milk, and to a lesser extent those with antibodies to peanuts and shrimp, showed higher susceptibility to CVD. In some cases the risk was on par with or exceeded traditional risk factors like smoking, diabetes, or rheumatoid disease.
One proposed mechanism involves the activation of an allergic inflammatory pathway. A clinician from the BestDoctor medical group explains that IgE antibodies to food can trigger immune cells to release cytokines. When cytokines accumulate, they can inflict damage on the inner lining of blood vessels, contributing to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques that underlie heart attacks and strokes.
In summary, the evidence points to a link between food allergies and cardiovascular disease, based on two large U.S. studies and consistent findings across diverse populations.
The material notes that this is a field where ongoing research is clarifying how immune responses to everyday foods might influence heart health over time.