Chronic low-grade inflammation is linked to silent structural changes in the heart and to a higher risk of heart attack and stroke, according to a study of nearly 480,000 UK adults published on 18 September 2026 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Researchers from the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences and Imperial College London used UK Biobank data, combining a blood marker of inflammation called glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA) with heart imaging and genetic information. People in the highest inflammation group, the top fifth according to Medical Xpress, had a 43% higher risk of heart attack and stroke than those in the lowest fifth. They also showed thicker heart walls, smaller heart chambers and poorer filling. The team said these changes can appear years before any symptoms. The work was funded by the Medical Research Council, the British Heart Foundation and the NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre. It is an observational study, so it shows an association rather than proving cause.
What the researchers say, and what they do not
Prof Declan O'Regan, one of the researchers, said "millions of people could be living with hidden inflammation, which is slowly changing their heart". He added that inflammation is "tied to our health and driven by a range of lifestyle and economic factors". Prof Bryan Williams said the study shows how "genes and lifestyle factors" can converge to trigger inflammation. The release says genetically susceptible people are "not destined to develop heart disease". Because the data are observational, the study cannot show that inflammation caused the heart changes, and inflammation may partly reflect other differences between people. The authors suggest that combining inflammation blood tests with genetic risk scores might one day help identify who is most at risk. That has not been tested here as a screening approach.
What this means for you
This is a finding about groups of people, not a result for any individual, and the study did not test any supplement, diet or product. GlycA is a research measure and is not something most people can order through routine NHS care. The paper links inflammation to social and economic circumstances as well as lifestyle, which is a reminder that heart health news is rarely about one habit alone. For how Perqen sources what it sells, see our FAQs page.
How Perqen members save
Perqen membership costs £4.99 a month or £29.99 a year and unlocks member pricing across a catalogue of established, mainstream supplement brands. You can see how membership pricing works before you decide.
This article reports published news and research and is for information only. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied diet or medical care, and no product mentioned is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Speak to your GP or pharmacist before changing what you take, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking prescribed medicines.
Sources
- Chronic stress may trigger hidden inflammation that damages the heart (EurekAlert, 18 September 2026)
- Chronic stress may trigger hidden inflammation that damages the heart (Medical Xpress)
- Gene-environment interactions shape cytokine-mediated inflammation and cardiovascular risk (European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, DOI, verified via CrossRef)