The Times (UK) - Loneliness linked to heart disease, strokes and infections

Scientists have found that some blood proteins increase with social isolation, raising the risk of several conditions and diseases



Poppy Koronka, Health Correspondent
Friday January 03 2025, 10.00am GMT

Those looking for an easy way to boost their health this year might want to check their social calendar, as well as heading to the gym — as researchers have found that loneliness is linked to a higher risk of heart disease, stroke and infections.

Researchers from the UK and China have found that some blood proteins might increase as social isolation gets more pronounced, increasing the risk of developing several conditions and diseases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that loneliness is among the most significant global health concerns, affecting every facet of health, wellbeing and development. It has long been understood that loneliness affects health but scientists now think that the mechanism behind this link could be in the blood.

The team, from the University of Cambridge and Fudan University, in China, studied blood proteins from more than 42,000 adults from the UK Biobank, taking scores for loneliness and social isolation from each participant.

They found five proteins with a causal link to loneliness — including some with crucial associations to cholesterol levels and insulin resistance.

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