Sensitivity to common food allergens such as dairy and peanuts could be a major cause of heart disease, according to new research published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

In fact, this increased risk may be comparable to the risks of smoking, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.

The study

Scientists examined thousands of adults over time and found that those who produced IgE antibodies in response to dairy and other foods were at increased risk of death associated with cardiovascular problems. This was true even when traditional heart disease risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure and diabetes were taken into account.

The strongest connection was for the cow’s milkwhile this connection was also significant in those who regularly consumed peanuts and shrimp.

While these antibodies cause severe food allergies in some people, many adults who produce them have no apparent food allergy. The research even found that the strongest association with cardiovascular death was in people who had the antibodies but continued to eat the food regularly, suggesting they did not have a severe food allergy.

The scientists stress that the findings do not conclusively prove that food antibodies cause the increased risk, as other genetic or environmental factors are likely to play a role.

It’s still possible that cardiovascular disease increases the risk for food allergies, although new results suggest otherwise. The researchers call for further studies to better understand the implications of their finding before recommending any changes in how doctors treat or manage food allergies.