A team of researchers led by Anthony Ong, a psychology professor at Cornell University and director of the Human Health Labs, has revealed that lifelong social bonds may slow the process of biological aging. Ong, working with colleagues such as Frank Mann at Stony Brook University and Laura Kubzansky at Harvard University, examined over 2,100 participants from the long-running Midlife in the United States study. Their findings appeared in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity – Health.
Ong explained, “Cumulative social advantage is really about the depth and breadth of your social connections over a lifetime. We looked at four key areas: the warmth and support you received from your parents growing up, how connected you feel to your community and neighborhood, your involvement in religious or faith-based communities, and the ongoing emotional support from friends and family.”
What the Researchers Found
The study focused on what are called epigenetic clocks, biological markers that estimate a person’s pace of aging. Two clocks in particular, GrimAge and DunedinPACE, are considered highly predictive of morbidity and mortality. Participants with stronger and more consistent social ties showed younger profiles on both clocks.
Just as importantly, they had lower levels of interleukin-6, a molecule tied to inflammation and chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and neurodegeneration. Ong noted, “What’s striking is the cumulative effect. These social resources build on each other over time. It’s not just about having friends today; it’s about how your social connections have grown and deepened throughout your life. That accumulation shapes your health trajectory in measurable ways.”
The researchers believe that social connections influence biological systems that regulate aging, including epigenetic, inflammatory, and neuroendocrine pathways. Sustained social advantage seems to help maintain healthier DNA methylation patterns, slowing the cellular wear and tear that accelerates aging.
Interestingly, while strong social ties reduced inflammation, they did not seem to affect short-term stress markers like cortisol. This suggests the impact of relationships is less about day-to-day stress relief and more about long-term biological resilience.
Ong offered a helpful analogy: “Think of social connections like a retirement account. The earlier you start investing and the more consistently you contribute, the greater your returns. Our study shows those returns aren’t just emotional; they’re biological. People with richer, more sustained social connections literally age more slowly at the cellular level.”
Broader Perspectives and Public Health Impact
This study supports the growing consensus that social life is not just about happiness or companionship. Instead, it is a core determinant of physical health. Commentators have noted that the findings align with the “weathering hypothesis,” which argues that chronic adversity accelerates biological aging, especially in disadvantaged groups. By contrast, accumulated relational advantages may confer resilience at the molecular level.
Other researchers and public health experts see this as a call for greater investment in community and family support systems. If strong social bonds reduce biological aging, then promoting volunteering, community engagement, and family ties could help entire populations age more slowly and stay healthier longer.
At the same time, not all social connections are beneficial. Toxic or stressful relationships may have the opposite effect, speeding up inflammation and aging. Quality, consistency, and depth of connection appear to matter more than sheer quantity.
The findings suggest that building and maintaining relationships across all stages of life is one of the most effective anti-aging strategies available. It does not come in the form of a pill or a supplement, but through bonds that grow steadily across decades. Volunteering, engaging in community activities, and nurturing supportive friendships all seem to pay off in a measurable way at the cellular level.
As Ong and his colleagues concluded, aging well means both staying healthy and staying connected. The biology of aging is not only written in our DNA but also in the quality of the relationships we sustain throughout life.
