Social Stress Can Speed Up Immune System Aging: New Research

Exercise and diet appear to mitigate the effects certain types of stress have on our immune system

Stress depletes the body and leaves the immune system worn out. Fortunately, there are ways to maintain a healthy immune system. l i g h t p o e t/Shutterstock

As people age, their immune systems naturally begin to decline. This aging of the immune system, called immunosenescence, may be an important part of age-related health problems such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, as well as older people’s less effective response to vaccines.

But not all immune systems age at the same rate. In our recently published study, my colleagues and I found that social stress is associated with signs of accelerated immune system aging.

Stress and Immunosenescence

To better understand why people of the same chronological age can have different immunological ages, my colleagues and I looked at data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a large, nationally representative survey of U.S. adults older than age 50. HRS researchers ask participants about different kinds of stressors they’ve experienced, including stressful life events, such as job loss; discrimination, such as being treated unfairly or being denied care; major lifetime trauma, such as a family member’s having a life-threatening illness; and chronic stress, such as financial strain.