Why feeling lonely might make your body more inflamed
The reciprocal associations between social deficits, social engagement, and inflammation: Longitudinal evidence comparing venous blood samples and dried blood spots and mapping the modifying role of phenotypic and genotypic depression.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
When older people feel lonely, their body’s inflammation levels tend to go up—and when inflammation goes up, they tend to feel lonelier. But when they spend time with others, inflammation goes down, and when inflammation is high, they tend to withdraw socially.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
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Evidence Score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
When older people feel lonely, their body’s inflammation levels tend to go up—and when inflammation goes up, they tend to feel lonelier. But when they spend time with others, inflammation goes down, and when inflammation is high, they tend to withdraw socially.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 552 / 72
Evidence Score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Publication
Authors
Gao Q, Bone JK, Finn S, Fancourt D
Related Content
Claims (6)
Prolonged social isolation is associated with sustained activation of inflammatory pathways that contribute to gradual deterioration of heart tissue and function.
In older adults, the connection between feelings of loneliness and levels of a blood marker for inflammation (CRP) is more pronounced in those with depression symptoms or a genetic predisposition to depression.
In adults aged 65 and older, higher levels of a blood marker for inflammation (C-reactive protein) are linked to greater feelings of loneliness, and higher loneliness is also linked to later increases in this inflammation marker, suggesting a two-way relationship between these factors.
In people aged 65 and older, being more socially active is linked to lower levels of a marker of inflammation called C-reactive protein, and higher levels of this marker are linked to less social activity over time, suggesting a two-way relationship between social behavior and inflammation.
Studies show that the link between feelings of loneliness and levels of C-reactive protein in the blood remains the same whether the blood is taken from a vein or collected via a finger-prick dried spot. This suggests the connection is real and not caused by how the blood sample is collected.