Health
Aging may speed up after death of a loved one, study finds: 'Major life stressor'
Experiencing the loss of a loved one not only has an emotional impact, but it may also speed up the aging process.
That’s according to a recent report from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Butler Columbia Aging Center in New York, in collaboration with the Carolina Population Center at University North Carolina Chapel Hill.
Researchers found that people who suffered a loss of a close family member such as a parent, child or sibling appeared to have an older biological age compared to those who did not.
The study was recently published in JAMA Network Open.
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“Although this study doesn’t offer definitive proof, it provides strong evidence of a link between experiencing loss and accelerated biological aging,” lead author Allison E. Aiello, PhD, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York, told Fox News Digital.
Researchers found that people who suffered a loss of a close family member such as a parent, child or sibling appeared to have an older biological age compared to those who did not. (iStock)
Aiello defined biological age as “how old our bodies are at the cellular level, which may differ from our actual age.”
With a gradual decline in the function of cells, tissues and organs, there is an increased risk of developing diseases later in life, she said.
Details of the study
The team of researchers gathered data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, which began in 1994.
A total of 20,745 participants ranging from 12 to 19 years were tracked for a 24-year span, up until 2018, according to a Columbia press release.
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The researchers recorded any losses of close relatives. Nearly 40% of participants experienced at least one loss in adulthood.
Out of the original participants, 4,500 agreed to undergo additional home exams and blood tests, the study authors noted.
DNA markers from the blood samples — also known as epigenetic clocks — were used to establish biological age.
“A greater number of losses was associated with more pronounced biological aging.”
Although a single loss was shown to speed up biological aging, two or more losses in adulthood had a more noticeable impact, the researchers found.
“A greater number of losses was associated with more pronounced biological aging, further supporting the harmful effects of this exposure,” Aiello told Fox News Digital.
Health effects of grief
The trauma of losing a parent or sibling has already been linked to many types of health issues, according to the study authors.
Prior research has shown that stress is linked to negative health outcomes — and loss is a “major life stressor,” Aiello said, often associated with mental health issues, cognitive decline, increased risk of heart disease and even higher mortality rates.
Although a single loss was shown to speed up biological aging, two or more losses in adulthood had a more noticeable impact, the researchers found. (iStock)
“The effects of such losses may not appear immediately, but can emerge over time,” she noted.
Although loss can cause these health effects at any age, they may be more profound during key developmental times in a person’s life, the researchers determined.
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Those who had losses during early adulthood — up to the early 40s — experienced a bigger increase in biological aging compared to those who lost loved ones during childhood or adolescence, Aiello told Fox News Digital.
“We observed a stronger impact from loss in older age, possibly due to resilience in younger individuals or because we had fewer cases of loss in younger age groups, which made it harder to detect significant effects,” she said.
More research needed, experts say
Daniel Tawfik, a molecular biologist and co-founder of Healthspan, a digital medical clinic based in Santa Monica, California, was not associated with the study but shared his insights on the findings.
“The recent JAMA study highlighting that bereavement may accelerate biological aging aligns with our understanding of how stress impacts the body,” Tawfik told Fox News Digital.
“It is essential for individuals in such circumstances to seek support, employ stress-reduction techniques and remain vigilant about their health,” a researcher said. (iStock)
The study’s exploration of the epigenetic markers offers an “intriguing insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying stress-related aging,” he said.
More research is needed to determine whether the age-related effects of losing a loved one are temporary or permanent, according to Tawfik.
“Epigenetic aging is dynamic, so there’s good reason to believe these changes can be reversed.”
“With only a single assessment point, it remains unclear how long these biological changes persist, the extent to which individuals can recover over time, and what specific interventions might mitigate these effects,” he said.
“Epigenetic aging is dynamic, so there’s good reason to believe these changes can be reversed.”
Aiello reiterated that additional research would help to confirm these findings.
“We need more data … in younger individuals and longer-term studies to better understand the immediate and long-lasting effects of loss on biological aging,” she said.
Healthy coping strategies
Aiello and Tawfik agreed that the study highlights the importance of effective coping strategies after the loss of a loved one.
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“It is essential for individuals in such circumstances to seek support, employ stress-reduction techniques and remain vigilant about their health,” Tawfik told Fox News Digital.
“Proactive management may help alleviate some of the physiological burdens associated with bereavement.”
More research is needed to determine whether the age-related effects of losing a loved one are temporary or permanent, according to a researcher. (iStock)
Future studies should focus on how specific coping strategies and support systems could help decrease the impact a loss has on the biological aging process, according to Aiello.
This could then guide medical professionals and public health strategies to improve outcomes after a loss, she said.
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The study was supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Add Health, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute on Aging, the Carolina Population Center, and other federal agencies and foundations.
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
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