Losing a loved one can speed up ageing process, study warns

Laura Hampson
·3-min read
Comforting hand on shoulder of man ageing
The death of a loved one has been shown to speed up the ageing process. (Getty Images)

Grief from the loss of a loved one can be devastating – but it could also be making us older than our years.

A new study has discovered that the death of someone close to you can lead to an increase in your biological age.

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.

Biological ageing is the gradual decline in how well your cells, tissues, and organs function, leading to a higher risk of chronic diseases – and the number can be different from your actual age.

This is measured by using DNA markers called epigenetic clocks.

“Few studies have looked at how losing a loved one at different stages of life affects these DNA markers,” Professor Allison Aiello, of Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health in the US said.

“Our study shows strong links between losing loved ones across the life course from childhood to adulthood and faster biological ageing.”

The US study 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, Aiello and her colleagues followed participants through various waves, and ageing timeframes.

Exhausted multiracial couple having problems, crisis, sorrow, pain, tiredness, stress sitting on bed silently thinking. European woman embraces african american man in support, care and attention
Losing a parent early in life can be traumatic, which can lead to mental and physical health issues. (Getty Images)

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

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 ageing than one loss and significantly more so than no losses.

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

“We still don’t fully understand how loss leads to poor health and higher mortality, but biological ageing may be one mechanism as suggested in our study,” Aiello added.

"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."

Additional reporting by SWNS.

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