Hidden cost of heartbreaks: Losing loved ones may accelerate aging: Study

Losing a loved one is undoubtedly a devastating experience, and the ache of their absence can persist for a long time. Now, a new study has revealed a connection between grief and biological aging.

This study was undertaken by Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health and Butler Columbia Aging Center researchers.

They found that individuals who lost a parent, partner, sibling, or child showed signs of accelerated biological aging than those who did not.

“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.,” said Allison Aiello, PhD, the James S. Jackson professor of health longevity in Epidemiology and the study’s lead author.

DNA markers

As we age, our cells, tissues, and organs function less efficiently, raising the chances of developing chronic diseases. Biological aging is determined using DNA markers called epigenetic clocks. These clocks indicate how quickly our bodies are aging at the cellular level.

Aiello said that there has been little research into how losing loved ones at different phases of life affects DNA markers, particularly in the United States.

The study followed thousands of people from adolescence to adulthood to examine the impact of loss on biological age. The data was derived from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, which began in 1994-95.

Losses were categorized into two groups: those experienced during childhood or adolescence (up to age 18) and those occurring in adulthood (ages 19 to 43). The study also assessed the cumulative number of losses across a person’s lifetime.

The study indicates that the effects of loss on aging can emerge well before middle age and may contribute to health disparities across racial and ethnic groups.

Impact severe for those in early years

Biological age was determined by examining DNA methylation patterns in blood samples using epigenetic clocks.

The study found that the more losses experienced, the faster biological aging occurred. The impact was most pronounced when two or more losses occurred in adulthood.

“The connection between losing loved ones and health problems throughout life is well-established. 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,” Aiello explained.

The death of a parent or sibling at a young age can be deeply traumatic. It may lead to mental health challenges, cognitive difficulties, and heightened risks of heart disease and premature mortality. Moreover, these health impacts might last or appear long after the loss has occurred.

The researchers highlight that while loss can have long-term health consequences regardless of age, the impact is often more severe during formative years, such as childhood and adolescence.

“We still don’t 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,” Aiello concluded in the press release.

By recognizing the impact of grief on our physical and mental health, experts could develop strategies to mitigate its effects and promote well-being.

The findings have been published in the journal JAMA Network Open.