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A new study finds that grief can cause rapid aging, especially when you experience multiple losses.
NEW YORK — Losing a loved one is always difficult, but new research suggests the impact of such a loss can go far beyond emotional pain. A study from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health found that experiencing the death of a close relative can actually accelerate the aging process on a biological level, leading to the earlier onset of age-related health problems.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, found that people who lost two or more close relatives — a parent, partner, sibling or child — showed signs of accelerated biological aging compared to people who had not experienced such losses. The effects were also seen in adults in their 30s and early 40s, suggesting that the effects of grief on the body may begin much earlier than previously thought.
“Our study shows a strong association between the loss of loved ones throughout life, from childhood through adulthood, and accelerated biological aging in the United States,” lead author Allison Aiello, PhD, professor of epidemiology at Columbia University, said in a statement.
But what exactly is “biological aging,” and how is it different from the birthdays we celebrate each year? While chronological age simply measures the amount of time you’ve lived, biological age reflects how well your body is functioning at a cellular level. Scientists can measure it using a specialized tool called the epigenetic clock, which looks at specific chemical changes in your DNA that accumulate as you age.
Think of this as the difference between a car’s model year and its actual condition. Two cars may both be from 2010, but the one that’s been well-maintained is in much better condition than one that’s endured harsh conditions. Similarly, the biological ages of two 40-year-olds can be very different depending on their life experiences and health habits.
The findings have important implications for public health and our understanding of how life experiences affect long-term well-being: Nearly 40 percent of study participants had experienced at least one significant loss by their early 40s. This high rate highlights how common such experiences are and points to the need for better support systems for people dealing with grief.
Interestingly, the study also shows that losses experienced in adulthood appear to have a stronger impact on biological aging than losses experienced in childhood or adolescence, calling into question the common assumption that childhood trauma is always the most impactful and suggesting that we may be more susceptible to the effects of loss as we get older.
The survey also found significant disparities in loss experiences across race and ethnicity. Black (57%) and Hispanic (41%) participants were more likely to have experienced at least one loss compared to white participants (34%). These differences in loss experiences may contribute to well-known health disparities between different racial and ethnic groups in the United States.
“We still don’t fully understand why loss leads to poorer health and increased mortality, but biological aging may be one mechanism, as suggested by our study,” Aiello noted. “Future research should focus on finding ways to reduce disproportionate loss among vulnerable groups. For people who experience loss, it is essential to provide resources to help them cope and cope with the trauma.”
These findings may seem daunting, but they also offer hope: By understanding how experiences like loss affect our bodies, we may be able to develop better strategies to help people who are grieving and mitigate some of the long-term health effects. This could include not only emotional support, but also interventions aimed at promoting healthy aging and resilience in the face of life’s challenges.
This study is a reminder that grief is not just an emotional process; it can have tangible effects on your physical health. StudyFinds has several articles about how losing a loved one can affect your body. Taking steps to manage stress, maintain social connections, and prioritize overall health may be especially important for people who have experienced multiple losses.
Studies such as this continue to pave the way for a more holistic understanding of health and aging. By recognizing the far-reaching effects of grief, we can better support individuals during life’s most difficult moments and work to build a society that has the potential to improve the long-term well-being of all.
Paper Summary
methodology
The researchers used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, which followed a group of Americans who were in grades 7-12 in 1994-95. They looked at information about family deaths reported by participants in five waves of the study over 24 years. In the most recent study (2016-2018), when participants were in their mid-30s to early 40s, the researchers took blood samples from nearly 4,500 participants. They used these samples to measure “epigenetic age,” a way to estimate biological age based on chemical changes in DNA. They then compared the epigenetic ages of people who had experienced different numbers of losses to see if there were any differences.
result
The study found that about 40% of participants had experienced the death of a close relative by their early 40s. Those who had lost two or more family members showed signs of accelerated biological aging on several measures, particularly PhenoAge, GriMAge, and the DunedinPACE epigenetic clock. Losses experienced in adulthood appeared to be more strongly associated with biological aging than losses experienced in childhood or adolescence. The study also noted racial disparities, with 57% of black participants and 41% of Hispanic participants experiencing at least one loss, compared to 34% of white participants.
Limitations
The study has some limitations. Because it only looked at epigenetic age at one point in time, it cannot show how biological aging changes over time in response to loss. The researchers also could not rule out the possibility that other factors, such as genetic health status, may have influenced both the likelihood of experiencing loss and biological aging. Additionally, although the study included a diverse sample, there were not enough participants from some racial and ethnic groups, so it may not have been able to detect all potential differences in the effects of loss on biological aging across different populations.
Discussion and Summary
This study provides important evidence that experiencing the loss of a loved one can accelerate biological aging, even before middle age. This may help explain why people who experience multiple losses are at higher risk for health problems later in life. The findings suggest that the health effects of loss may be more immediate and direct than previously thought. They also highlight how disparities in exposure to loss among different racial and ethnic groups may affect long-term health. The researchers suggest that their findings may inform efforts to support people who experience loss and may prevent some of the negative health effects.
Funding and Disclosure
This research was supported by grants from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the National Institute on Aging. Additional funding was provided by the Carolina Population Center and other federal agencies and foundations. Some of the authors have ties to companies developing technologies related to measuring biological aging, but these are not directly related to the current research. Dan Belsky is the inventor of the DunedinPACE epigenetic clock, which has been licensed to TruDiagnostic.
