Support from friends, the hormone oxytocin, and even diet might help protect the body from the long-term harm of childhood trauma, while stress hormones like cortisol might make it worse.
Scientific Claim
The biological effects of childhood maltreatment on oxidative stress markers may be buffered by psychosocial factors such as social support and oxytocin, and modulated by nutrition and cortisol levels.
Original Statement
“We further showed that the stress-related hormone cortisol potentiates the effect of CM on telomere length shortening and on the increase in immune-cellular oxygen consumption (42, 59). On the other hand, the attachment-related hormone oxytocin may buffer the biological effects of childhood maltreatment on telomere length and cellular oxygen consumption (42, 59). Furthermore, there is first evidence that nutrition like the supplementation with omega-3 fatty acid has beneficial effects on lipid peroxidation (77).”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design cannot support claim
Appropriate Language Strength
association
Can only show association/correlation
Assessment Explanation
The claim correctly attributes these ideas to prior work from the same group and uses speculative language ('may be buffered'), avoiding overstatement. The study design does not test these factors directly.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (0)
Contradicting (1)
The Association of Childhood Maltreatment With Lipid Peroxidation and DNA Damage in Postpartum Women
This study found that childhood trauma might be linked to one type of cellular damage (lipid peroxidation), but it didn’t look at whether love, support, food, or stress hormones make that damage better or worse—so we can’t say if those factors help buffer the effects.