Keeping youngsters squeaky clean could be bad for their heart

Parents obsessed with cleanliness could be actually harming their children's hearts, claim scientists. The trend for antibacterial soaps could increase youngster's chance of being unhealthy later in life as exposure to everyday germs may prevent heart disease in adulthood. The study is the first to look at how contact with germs early in life affect the immune systems response to diseases associated with ageing in adulthood. It suggests that exposure to infectious bacteria early in life may actually protect individuals from cardiovascular diseases that can lead to death as an adult. It does this by damaging the body's natural response to attack - namely inflammation of the surrounding tissue. Over inflamation is actually a bad thing that can lead to increased blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Professor Thomas McDade, lead author of the study at Northwestern University, in Chicago, said: "Contrary to assumptions related to earlier studies, our research suggests that ultra-clean, ultra-hygienic environments early in life may contribute to higher levels of inflammation as an adult, which in turn increases risks for a wide range of diseases." Relatively speaking, humans only recently have lived in such hyper-hygienic environments, he stressed. - Telegraph