Social support is a necessary resource for maintaining physical and mental health. Conversely, loneliness is associated with depression, poor sleep, impaired cognitive function, and early death. Findings of a new study show a relationship between the gut microbiota and feelings of wisdom, compassion, and social support.
The gut microbiota is composed of bacteria and other microorganisms that are unique to each individual. A microbiota with high alpha-diversity, meaning a greater number of microbial species, supports health and reduces the risk of diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and liver disease. Scientists don’t fully understand how gut microbiota diversity relates to social support.
The investigators analyzed data from 184 participants between the ages of 21 and 100 years who were taking part in a larger study about aging. Participants completed a phone interview during which they answered questions about their social habits, health, and wellbeing. They also provided a fecal sample for sequencing of bacterial DNA in their gut microbiota.
The data revealed a significant statistical relationship among alpha-diversity and loneliness, wisdom, social support, compassion, and social engagement. Individuals with low alpha-diversity reported higher levels of loneliness and lower levels of all positive social variables. These relationships remained significant even when taking age and body mass index (a proxy for body fat) into account. The researchers found no relationship between alpha-diversity and sex, physical health, or depression.
These results are the first to show an association between low alpha-diversity and loneliness. Although the researchers found no association between low alpha-diversity and poor mental and physical health in this study, future studies are needed to explore this relationship further. This research is especially important given that loneliness has sharply increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The science digest is a special email we send out just twice per month to members of our premium community. It covers in-depth science on familiar FoundMyFitness related topics.
If you're interested in trying out a few issues for free, enter your email below or click here to learn more about the benefits of premium membership here.