Posted on 01/11/2022 8:33:49 AM PST by ConservativeMind
Living alone for several years and/or experiencing serial relationship break-ups are strongly linked to raised levels of inflammatory markers in the blood–but only in men–finds a large population study.
Although the inflammation was classified as low grade, it was persistent, and most likely indicates a heightened risk of age-related ill health and death, suggest the researchers.
Divorce and committed relationship break-ups, which are often followed by a potentially lengthy period of living alone, have been associated with a heightened risk of poor physical and mental health, lowered immunity, and death.
But most previously published studies have focused on the impact of one partnership dissolution, and then usually only on marital break-ups.
The inflammatory markers interleukin 6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured in blood samples.
Among men, the highest levels of inflammatory markers were found in those who had experienced the most partnership break-ups. They had 17% higher levels of inflammatory markers than those in the reference group. Similarly, levels of inflammatory markers were up to 12% higher in the group who had spent the most years living alone (7 or more).
And the highest levels of both inflammatory markers for years lived alone were observed among men with high educational attainment and 2–6 years living alone (CRP), and 7 or more years spent alone (IL-6).
But these findings were observed only among the men; no such associations were found among the women.
"Small numbers of breakups or years lived alone is not in itself a risk of poor health, but the combination of (many) years lived alone and several break-ups is in our study shown to affect both CRP and IL-6 levels significantly," write the researchers.
"The levels of inflammation in our study are low, but they are also significant, clinically relevant.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
I don’t quite understand how women appear immune to the inflammatory effects of what is basically loneliness, but they didn’t have CRP or IL-6 issues. Good for them!
It’s my observation that women handle being alone better than men. Of course that could be projection of my own personality?
So the key take-aways are:
1. Men are inflamed when the ladies break up with them.
2. Women are “Meh, who cares?”
Who would have guessed that?
I remember some inflammation back when I was single.
L
I wonder if it’s not diet related.
I suspect men living alone are more prone to eating fast food than are women living alone.
I’m pretty good at cooking. My typical meal when alone is a meat cooked in an air fryer and a microwave green vegetable.
Why not test liberal vs conservative women? They’ll find that Liberal women are walking time bombs.
Genesis 2:18
The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.
Get a couple of good dogs like Golden Retrievers. They are always glad to see you.
Reminds me of the George Ezra song Blame It On Me.
When I dance alone and the sun's beating down
blame it on me.
When I lose control and the veil's overused
blame it on me
What you waiting for...Now what you waiting for?
“Get a couple of good dogs like Golden Retrievers. They are always glad to see you.”
Lock your wife, (or girlfriend), and your dog in the trunk of your car for 10 minutes. Open the trunk. Which one is glad to see you?
This is an observational study, and as such, can’t establish cause.
Bkmk
We are now seeing the result of no easy fault divorces.
The numbers of elderly divorced men and women living alone is staggering. No wonder there are resulting health problems as a result of poor choices made 20-30 years ago.
Men and women who broke up their family now live in empty bittereness with no family support.
If only they knew then what they know now.
Yeah, works great if the spouse is actually eager to be a “helper”...otherwise....
BTW, I am living separate from spouse....everythings okdokey on my end. Spouse is having a harder time of it...but who knew once could have 4 cats and a dog and still have a hard time being alone....
Heavy drinking?
Of course, the cause is not stated—only the result.
You’re probably right about dietary differences, single vs. married. It has long been known that married men live longer than single or divorced men, and the happier the marriage, the greater the difference. This seems to make sense. It’s part of a man’s nature to be responsible for his mate and the offspring she bears him, to be the protector and provider. Even if it’s not always unicorns and rainbows, it satisfies something in a man’s nature, gives him a reason to haul himself out of bed and off to work each day, and home again each night. Smart women know this. Really smart women use this knowledge to fashion a happy home.
Good post.
Very good theory.
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