The World Health Organization has identified social isolation and loneliness as a significant global public health concern. It is crucial to address this issue and find ways to keep people connected in order to promote their overall health. Research indicates a strong connection between social isolation, loneliness, and negative health outcomes, including an increased risk of early mortality.
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has warned about the health risks associated with loneliness, likening it to a basic human need such as hunger or thirst. Loneliness has become a prevalent feeling experienced by many individuals, leading to adverse health effects.
A recent study conducted by researchers from Cambridge and Fudan University in China examined the blood samples of over 42,000 British adults to understand the impact of social isolation and loneliness on health at a biological level. The study revealed the presence of specific proteins that were associated with social isolation and loneliness, highlighting their connection to various health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and premature death.
The researchers emphasized the importance of social relationships in maintaining overall well-being, underscoring the role of social connections in promoting good health. By identifying the proteins linked to social isolation and loneliness, scientists hope to develop targeted treatments to address the health implications of these conditions.
“We know that social isolation and loneliness are linked to poorer health, but we’ve never understood why,” said Dr. Chun Shen of the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Cambridge and the Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University.
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“Our work has highlighted a number of proteins that appear to play a key role in this relationship, with levels of some proteins in particular increasing as a direct consequence of loneliness,” he said, as SWNS reported.
Professor Jianfeng Feng of the University of Warwick said, “There are more than 100,000 proteins and many of their variants in the human body … AI and high-throughput proteomics can help us pinpoint some key proteins in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for many human diseases and revolutionize the traditional view of human health.”
“AI and high-throughput proteomics can help us pinpoint some key proteins in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis in many human diseases.”
He also said, “The proteins we’ve identified give us clues to the biology underpinning poor health among people who are socially isolated or lonely, highlighting why social relationships play such an important part in keeping us healthy.”
One of the proteins produced at higher levels as a result of loneliness was ADM.
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Previous studies have shown that ADM plays a role in responding to stress and in regulating stress hormones and social hormones, such as oxytocin — known as the “love hormone” — which can reduce stress and improve mood.
The team found a “strong” association between ADM and the volume of the insula, a brain hub for interoception, the ability to sense what’s happening inside the body.
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The greater the ADM levels, the smaller the volume of the region. Higher ADM levels were also linked to lower volume of the left caudate — a region involved in emotional, reward, and social processes. Higher levels of ADM were also linked to an increased risk of dying young.
The researchers said another of the proteins, ASGR1, is associated with higher cholesterol and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease — while other identified proteins play roles in the development of insulin resistance, “furring” of the arteries, and cancer progression.
Melissa Rudy of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.
Original article source: Friends, family may protect against heart attack, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, study suggests
