"It Is Not Good for Man to Be Alone": New Research Links Loneliness to Poor Health

New research reveals the connection between loneliness and physical health. For years, it has been known that loneliness is linked to poor health, but the study highlights a biological connection between certain protein levels in the body and their effect on inflammation and heart disease. The study, published in the scientific journal Nature, analyzed data from 42,000 participants in the UK and found that loneliness or social isolation affects the levels of 175 proteins, of which 26 proteins were found to be directly related to loneliness.

The researchers identified a link between these proteins and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and stroke. Further analysis suggested that loneliness could affect protein levels in the brain related to emotional and social processes. These effects, although relatively small, can explain up to 7.5% of the connection between loneliness and mortality.

Professor Marko Elovainio from the University of Helsinki emphasized that the research sheds light on the biological mechanisms mediating the effects of loneliness, but noted that factors such as stress, low physical activity, and alcohol consumption may exacerbate health damage. According to him, changing lifestyle habits might be a more practical solution than focusing on the proteins themselves.

The researchers call for increasing awareness of the effects of loneliness not only on mental health but also on physical health.