Columbia study finds losing a loved one may make you age faster

By Stephen Beech via SWNS

Losing a loved one may speed up the aging process, warns a new study.

American researchers found that suffering the bereavement of someone close, such as a family member, can make people age faster.

The findings, published in JAMA Network Open , show that people who lost a parent, partner, sibling, or child, revealed signs of older biological age compared to those who hadn’t experienced such losses.

The researchers explained that biological aging is the gradual decline in how well your cells, tissues, and organs function, leading to a higher risk of chronic diseases.

Scientists measure it using DNA markers known as epigenetic clocks.

Professor Allison Aiello, of Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health in New York City , said: “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.

“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 findings suggest that the impact of loss on aging can be seen long before middle age and may contribute to health differences among racial and ethnic groups.

The researchers used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, which started in 1994-95. It followed participants from their teenage years into adulthood.

To measure familial loss during childhood or adolescence, Prof Aiello and her colleagues followed participants through various waves and aging timeframes.

Wave I surveyed 20,745 adolescents, most of whom were aged 12 to 19. Participants have been followed ever since.

Wave V took place between 2016 and 2018 and completed interviews with 12,300 of the original participants.

In the latest wave, between 2016 and 2018, participants were invited for an additional home examination where a blood sample of the nearly 4,500 visited was provided for DNA testing.

The study looked at losses experienced during childhood up to 18 years old and adulthood, 19 to 43 years old.

They also examined the number of losses experienced during the time period.

Biological aging data was assessed from blood DNA methylation using epigenetic clocks.

Nearly 40% of participants experienced at least one loss in adulthood between the ages of 33 and 43.

A larger proportion of black (57%) and Hispanic (41%) participants experienced at least one loss compared to white participants (34%).

People who experienced two or more losses had older biological ages, according to several epigenetic clocks.

Experiencing two or more losses in adulthood was more strongly linked to biological aging than one loss and significantly more so than no losses.

Aiello said: “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.”

She said, for example, that losing a parent or sibling early in life can be very traumatic, often leading to mental health issues, cognitive problems, higher risks of heart disease, and a greater chance of dying young.

Aiello says losing a close family member at any age poses health risks, and repeated losses can increase the risks of heart disease, dementia or death.

The research team emphasized that while loss at any age can have long-lasting health impacts, the effects might be more severe during key developmental periods such as childhood or early adulthood.

Aiello added: “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."

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