Sensitivity to dairy products, other foods linked to higher risk of death from heart disease

The authors found that presenting with at least one food sensitivity was associated with a higher risk of death from cardiovascular causes in both the NHANES and MESA groups. This association was the strongest among participants who were sensitive to milk. In addition, according to the NHANES data, “consumption was an important modifier of cardiovascular risk.”

“The magnitude of the identified associations are similar to or exceed those previously associated with smoking, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis,” explained first author Corinne Keet MD, PhD, with the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, and colleagues.

Keet et al. also noted that specialists have typically believed food sensitivities without overt allergies are “benign.” The findings appear to challenge that assumption.

“These data raise intriguing questions about the relevance of food sensitization and diet in CVD development, but further studies—including replication of the finding of modification by consumption, investigation of the cardiovascular subtypes implicated, and identification of biological mechanisms—will be important before any changes to medical practice can be considered,” the authors wrote.

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