Researchers from Columbia University in the United States report a link between bereavement and faster biological aging, observed through changes in DNA methylation patterns. The findings were published in JAMA Network Open and highlight how the experience of losing loved ones may accelerate the body’s epigenetic clock.
The study drew on data from the National Longitudinal Study known as Add Health, inviting 12,300 participants to take part in surveys during 1994–1995. Early in the study, researchers collected health information and asked participants to note any bereavement experiences. Blood samples were obtained from a subset of volunteers for laboratory testing and methylation analysis—an approach aimed at assessing biological aging markers in blood.
Follow-up assessments occurred four times between the study’s start in the mid-1990s and 2018. During this period, roughly 4,000 participants reported the death of a family member, spouse, or close friend, creating a dataset rich with longitudinal observations of life events and health measures.
From 2018 through 2024, researchers mapped individual epigenetic profiles and estimated biological ages using DNA methylation data. A linear regression model examined the relationship between the number of bereavements and biological age estimates, while adjusting for a wide range of factors such as ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, family size, education, and the closeness of the relationship to the deceased. The aim was to isolate the potential impact of bereavement on the aging process beyond obvious demographic differences.
Among participants aged 33 to 44, findings indicated that each loss was associated with a higher biological age as measured by the epigenetic clock and with a faster rate of aging. In other words, the more losses experienced, the more accelerated the aging signals appeared in the DNA methylation patterns, though the magnitude varied among individuals.
The study notes that disruption of the normal methylation cycle can raise the risk for a range of diseases and mental health challenges. Epigenetic aging reflects cumulative wear on the body, and DNA methylation profiles have shown promise as predictors of health trajectories and aging potential across populations. While this work links bereavement to accelerated aging signals, it does not prove a direct causal pathway in every case but highlights a biologically plausible connection through stress pathways. Attribution: JAMA Network Open.
Researchers emphasize that the precise mechanisms linking emotional distress to DNA methylation changes remain to be fully understood. They speculate that the stress and grief associated with losing someone important may trigger hormonal and inflammatory responses that influence the epigenetic marks observed in blood samples.
In summary, the study contributes to a growing body of evidence suggesting that life stressors can leave measurable marks on the genome’s epigenetic machinery. DNA methylation serves as a reachable proxy for biological aging, offering insight into how personal experiences might shape health spans over time. More research is needed to unpack the pathways and to determine how interventions might mitigate the aging signals associated with grief. The work aligns with broader efforts to understand how environment, behavior, and emotional well-being interact with the biology of aging, and it underscores the importance of supporting bereaved individuals to potentially influence long-term health outcomes. Attribution: JAMA Network Open.
Earlier discussions in the scientific literature have explored practical strategies for healthy longevity, offering actionable steps that range from stress management to lifestyle choices. These conversations continue to evolve as new genomic and epigenomic technologies illuminate how daily experiences translate into biological changes over decades.