There’s A Link Between Loneliness And A Higher Risk Of Heart Disease, Type 2 Diabetes, And Stroke
Recent research conducted by scientists from the UK and China suggests that spending time with friends and family may improve our health by strengthening our immune system and lowering the risk of illnesses like heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
A crucial factor for our well-being is social connections, with growing evidence linking social isolation and loneliness to poorer health and a higher risk of early death. Yet, the exact biological mechanisms by which social relationships influence health are still not fully understood.
Examining the proteins in our blood is one approach to uncovering these mechanisms. Proteins, produced by our genes, are vital for the proper functioning of our bodies.
Plus, they can be valuable targets for drug development, helping researchers in the creation of new treatments for various diseases.
“We know that social isolation and loneliness are linked to poorer health, but we’ve never understood why. Our work has highlighted a number of proteins that appear to play a key role in this relationship, with levels of some proteins, in particular, increasing as a direct consequence of loneliness,” said Dr. Chu Shen, an author of the study.
The latest study was led by University of Cambridge and Fudan University scientists, who analyzed the proteomes, or the collection of proteins, in blood samples.
The samples were donated by more than 42,000 adults between the ages of 40 and 69 who are part of the UK Biobank.
This helped the team identify which proteins were elevated in individuals experiencing social isolation or loneliness and how these proteins were linked to worse health outcomes.
Both social isolation and loneliness were evaluated for each participant. Social isolation was measured objectively, looking at factors like living alone, the frequency of social interactions, and involvement in social activities. Loneliness, however, was measured subjectively based on how isolated or lonely the participants felt.
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After analyzing the proteomes and accounting for factors like gender, age, and socioeconomic status, the researchers identified 175 proteins associated with social isolation and 26 proteins connected to loneliness.
There was considerable overlap, with around 85% of proteins tied to loneliness also being linked to social isolation.
Additionally, many of the proteins play a role in inflammation, immune responses, and viral infections, and they have been associated with health issues such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and early death.
Finally, the team applied a statistical method called Mendelian randomization to investigate whether there was a cause-and-effect relationship between social isolation, loneliness, and protein levels. This led them to identify five proteins whose increased levels were directly linked to loneliness.
ADM is one of the proteins that increased due to loneliness. Research has shown that ADM is involved in managing stress, as well as regulating stress hormones and social hormones. This includes oxytocin, known as the “love hormone,” which boosts mood and alleviates stress.
A notable association between ADM levels and the size of the insula, a brain area that helps us sense internal bodily signals, was also uncovered.
As ADM levels rose, the insula became smaller. Meanwhile, higher ADM levels were related to a smaller left caudate, which plays a role in emotions, social processes, and rewards. Elevated ADM levels were even connected to a higher likelihood of early death.
Other proteins found in the study are involved in processes like artery hardening (atherosclerosis), the development of insulin resistance, and the progression of cancer.
“These findings drive home the importance of social contact in keeping us well. More and more people of all ages are reporting feeling lonely. That’s why the World Health Organization has described social isolation and loneliness as a global public health concern,” concluded Professor Barbara Sahakian, a study author.
“We need to find ways to tackle this growing problem and keep people connected to help them stay healthy.”
To read the study’s complete findings, which have since been published in Nature Human Behaviour, visit the link here.
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