Hygiene Hypothesis Shields Kids From Heart Disease Later On
If children catch viral infections early on, it could reduce
their later risk of heart disease by as much as 90 percent. It
is possible, therefore, that improved childhood hygiene could be
one of the factors behind the explosion in coronary heart
disease in the 20th century.
This marks the first time that the "hygiene hypothesis," which
argues that reduced microbial exposure early on as a result of
improved sanitation causes health problems later in life, has
been connected with heart disease.
Some 350 patients with heart problems were compared with others
who did not suffer from coronary disease. Each subject filled
outa questionnaire about their childhood experience with such
diseases as scarlet fever, measles and mononucleosis.
There was a consistent link between the number of childhood
infections and reduced coronary risk. Two viral infections
reduced risk by 40 percent, four infections by 60 percent, and
six infections resulted in a 90 percentreduction in risk.
Medscape September 23, 2005
Dr. Mercola's Comment: