Credits: Social Media
Losing a loved one may actually speed up your biological aging, new study shows
New research from Columbia University has revealed that losing a loved one sparks signs of a higher biological age, suggesting that grief biologically ages us.
There are two types of age, with the first being the number of years you have been on planet Earth. The second is your biological age, which is decided by a range of factors like health and genetics.
Your biological age estimate can change
Some diets have been shown to reduce your biological age estimate, and even journalling every day has been linked with an estimated age reduction. Unfortunately, this article is about the exact opposite, and it’s completely out of your control.
Biological aging is the process in which your organs, tissues, and bodily systems decline. It’s a very normal part of being human, and yet, some factors can dramatically speed it up.
Scientists from Columbia University explored this topic in a recently published paper in the JAMA Network Open.
Few studies have looked at how losing a loved one at different stages of life affects these DNA markers, especially in study samples that represent the U.S. population, said Allison Aiello, PhD, the study’s lead author. Our study shows strong links between losing loved ones across the life course from childhood to adulthood and faster biological aging in the U.S.
The scientists used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, which started in 1994.
They found that loss has a profound effect
After analyzing the data, the scientists were able to identify that 40% of Americans lost someone between the ages of 33 and 43, with Black (57%) and Hispanic (41%) communities experiencing loss at a higher rate than white people (34%).
Though people with one loss ranked for higher biological ages, the difference was most profound in people who had experienced the loss of two or more close family members.
The connection between losing loved ones and health problems throughout life is well-established, Aiello noted. But some stages of life might be more vulnerable to the health risks associated with loss and the accumulation of loss appears to be a significant factor.
For example, losing a close family member during your youth can spark mental health issues, cognitive problems, higher risks of heart disease, and a greater chance of dying earlier.
“We still dont fully understand how loss leads to poor health and higher mortality, but biological aging may be one mechanism as suggested in our study. Future research should focus on finding ways to reduce disproportionate losses among vulnerable groups. For those who experience loss, providing resources for coping and addressing the trauma is essential,” the scientist added.
