Research Finds Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Individuals with Dairy Sensitivities

Individuals struggling to digest dairy may be at a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease.

In the past, asthma and eczema have been linked to cardiovascular disease, but the connection to food sensitivities had yet to be explored.

A recent study appearing earlier this month in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology unveiled that sensitivity or allergy to dairy could raise the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The paper's first author and a professor of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Corrine Keet, MD, PhD, revealed to Health that they discovered IgE, an antibody, to milk was linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular death across two cohorts, a finding previously unreported.

The study involved two longitudinal analyses across 14 and 19 year periods of 4,414 and 960 adults respectively, where it was found that individuals who produced IgE antibodies in response to the consumption of cow's milk and other foods exhibited a significant enhancement of the risk of cardiovascular death.

This association held even when other heart disease risk factors, including smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes, were taken into account.

However, the study didn't establish that dairy allergies lead to cardiovascular events, but merely demonstrated an increased risk.

Keet clarified that the results were correlation based on observational studies and causation hadn't been established.

This article will now explore how dairy allergies could impact cardiovascular health and how individuals with dairy sensitivities could manage cardiovascular risk.

Keet noted that it's been long acknowledged by allergists that allergic reactions could involve the cardiovascular system.

Since the strongest link between IgE and cardiovascular disease was found in individuals who frequently consumed the food allergen, Keet thinks this is probably unrelated to the acute reactions involved in food allergies being diagnosed.

Allergic reactions involve the immune system's response, triggering the release of substances such as histamines and cytokines.

Rigved Tadwalkar, MD, a consultative cardiologist at the Pacific Heart Institute Providence Saint John’s Medical Foundation, explained to Health that these substances are essential for defending against pathogens, but chronic or systemic inflammation is a known contributor to the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis (narrowing and hardening of the arteries).

Addressing Keet's research, Tadwalker demonstrated that the presence of IgE antibodies to common food allergens is associated with an elevated cardiovascular mortality risk.

"Although the exact process remains unknown, it is likely that the chronic inflammatory response kindled by allergic reactions contributes to the inflammatory processes underlying heart disease," Tadwalker disclosed.

Further research will be required to elucidate the specific pathways through which allergic reactions might actually impact cardiovascular health.

Tadwalker pointed out that Keet's findings challenge the traditional view of allergies as isolated systems and propose systemic implications pertaining to cardiovascular health.

"Recognizing this developing area of study is important from a cardiology standpoint, underlining the need for additional research to fully comprehend the mechanisms and the potential clinical implications for people with allergies," Tadwalker commented.

Distinctiating between food sensitivity and food allergies proves beneficial.

IgE antibodies, produced by the immune system when individuals are exposed to allergens or sensitivities, can release chemicals in the body leading to allergic reactions in the nose, lungs, throat, or skin.

However, Keet observed that even though about 15% of American adults produce IgE to common food allergens, not everyone who produces IgE experiences an allergic reaction in response to foods.

The research team was not aware if study participants had clinical food allergies. Keet suggested that most participants were likely not severely allergic to the foods under investigation.

When participants who avoided the food were excluded from the study, the association between the food and cardiovascular death intensified, suggesting that the findings are particularly applicable to people who aren't diagnosed with a food allergy.

At present, the prevalent thought among allergists, as explained by Keet, is that even if people have IgE to foods, it is generally safe to consume those foods if no allergic symptoms are experienced.

Keet concluded, "Though this work has left us with more questions than answers, it raises the question about whether food allergy pathways might be significant in heart disease."

Because researchers still can’t distinguish correlation from causation, they are not recommending that everyone get food testing or make changes to their doctor’s advice regarding food-specific IgE.

“[Current] advice is to eat the foods if there are not symptoms consistent with food allergy,” Keet said. “More research needs to be done to understand whether and how food-specific IgE has a causal relationship with cardiovascular disease.”

Tadwalkar recommends that people with food sensitivities or allergies prioritize their overall heart health through lifestyle measures, including:   

For people with pre-existing cardiovascular disease, Tadwalkar recommends intensive management of the condition.

“Considering the potential broader health implications, monitoring and managing allergies effectively should be better integrated logistically into routine healthcare,” he said. “Until we learn more, a holistic approach to health, considering both allergy management and cardiovascular health, is most advisable for individuals with known allergies.”