In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleHow Was This Study Conducted?What Did This Study Find?How Does This Apply to Real Life?
In This ArticleView All
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In This Article
How Was This Study Conducted?
What Did This Study Find?
How Does This Apply to Real Life?
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Photo:Getty Images. EatingWell design.
Getty Images. EatingWell design.
Do you consider yourself a people person, social butterfly or extrovert? Maybe you’re always looking for social events to fill your calendar—and if you can’t find an event, you’ll create one. You love spending time with family and friends, even if that means just having a cup of tea and good conversation. If so, your social habits could be improving your health—and possibly even adding years to your life.
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Loneliness and social isolation are common in the U.S. About one in three adults feels lonely, and about one in four has a lack of emotional and social support.Social isolation and loneliness can have some negative impacts on health, including increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression and anxiety, suicidality and self-harm, dementia and dying earlier than one would have without being lonely or socially isolated.
While researchers know there is an association between social isolation and loneliness with poorer health, they have yet to figure out the underlying cause of why this happens. But researchers at the University of Cambridge in the UK and Fudan University in China may have discovered some of the causes. They published their findings in the January 2025 issue ofNature Human Behaviour.Let’s see what they found.
Data was pulled from the UK Biobank, a large-scale biomedical database that contains detailed information about people’s demographics, medical histories, lifestyles, bloodwork results and numerous other medical tests, like MRIs. Researchers used information from 42,062 participants with an average age of 54 and just over half of them being female. Participants were followed for an average of 14 years.
These researchers wanted to know if proteins offered a biological clue into why social isolation and loneliness influence health and disease status.
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After analyzing the proteomes and adjusting for certain confounding factors, like sex, age and socioeconomic status, the scientists discovered that 175 proteins were associated with social isolation and 26 were associated with loneliness. They also found an overlap of proteins, where about 85% of the proteins associated with loneliness were also associated with social isolation, creating a large interactive network of proteins related to immunity.
Researchers started connecting the dots with these findings and why those who are socially isolated and lonely tend to havehigh levels of inflammation. Many of the identified proteins are part of our immune response, which instigates the inflammatory response when our bodies are fighting off illness. Inflammation is also linked to chronic disease, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes and arthritis.
The study authors were also able to isolate specific proteins and their effect on the body. For example, one of these proteins is called ADM. This protein helps regulate the body’s response to stress and stress hormones. ADM also regulates oxytocin, a hormone that encourages feelings of love and attachment. They found higher levels of ADM in people who were lonely, suggesting that their immune system was battling infection—or what it perceived as infection—due to loneliness.
There was also an association between higher levels of ADM and a smaller insula, a part of the brain that controls interoception—the ability to feel what’s going on inside your body. In addition, higher ADM was also linked to changes in the left caudate, a region of the brain involved in several functions, including movement, emotions, cognition and social processes.
Researchers note that over half the proteins associated with social isolation and loneliness also demonstrated a significant link with heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and death. For example, a one-unit increase in ADM level was associated with a 58% increased risk of death during the 14-year follow-up period.
ADM wasn’t the only stand-out protein. Another, called ASGR1, was associated with higher cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease.
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While researchers have known that social isolation and loneliness increase the risk of disease, including heart disease and diabetes, they did not yet know the reasons behind the association. This is one of the first studies to examine the potential biological reasons linking the factors together.
“The World Health Organization has found that one in four older people are socially isolated and 5% to 15% of adolescents feel lonely,” saysBarbara Sahakian, Ph.D., DSc, one of the study authors and a professor of psychiatry at University of Cambridge. “It is important for your physical and mental health and wellbeing not to let yourself become disconnected with those around you and feel lonely.”
There are several ways you can help prevent loneliness and isolation, says Sahakian. “Volunteering for a charity is an excellent way to boost your social connections and make new friends,” she suggests. “It also activates the reward system in the brain, giving us enjoyment and pleasure from doing a good deed.”
Sahakian also recommends exercising as part of a team sport or through cycling or walking clubs, since this will boost your mood, thinking ability, physical health and wellbeing. “Face-to-face book clubs are also a great way to stimulate your imagination and creative thinking and engage in interesting discussions while socializing,” adds Sahakian.
Of course, you can spend time with people but not feel connected with them, which may cultivate feelings of loneliness. To deepen your connection with others, it’s important that you’re authentic and genuine and allow certain levels of vulnerability over time as you feel more comfortable. Build trust and rapport with the people in your life. If you have difficulty doing so due to past trauma, consider seeking appropriate professional help to work through the trauma. There is hope and post-traumatic growth on the other side!
The Bottom Line
This study suggests that certain proteins related to inflammation are present at higher levels in people who are lonely or socially isolated, predisposing them to a higher risk of disease. There are also changes in the brain related to these proteins. If you’re feeling lonely or are avoiding social opportunities, it’s important to take action.
“Find a social activity that you think is fun and make it a goal to make some new friends,” says Sahakian. “Getting social support from others and giving friends social support in challenging times will lead to a happier and more fulfilling life.”
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Health Effects of Social Isolation and Loneliness.Shen C, Zhang R, Yu J, et al.Plasma proteomic signatures of social isolation and loneliness associated with morbidity and mortality.Nature Human Behaviour. 2024. doi:10.1038/s41562-024-02078-1
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Health Effects of Social Isolation and Loneliness.Shen C, Zhang R, Yu J, et al.Plasma proteomic signatures of social isolation and loneliness associated with morbidity and mortality.Nature Human Behaviour. 2024. doi:10.1038/s41562-024-02078-1
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Health Effects of Social Isolation and Loneliness.Shen C, Zhang R, Yu J, et al.Plasma proteomic signatures of social isolation and loneliness associated with morbidity and mortality.Nature Human Behaviour. 2024. doi:10.1038/s41562-024-02078-1
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Health Effects of Social Isolation and Loneliness.
Shen C, Zhang R, Yu J, et al.Plasma proteomic signatures of social isolation and loneliness associated with morbidity and mortality.Nature Human Behaviour. 2024. doi:10.1038/s41562-024-02078-1
