Lower Social Support is Associated with Accelerated Epigenetic Aging: Results from the Health and Retirement Study

Abstract Growing evidence suggests that social relationship quality can influence age-related health outcomes, although how the quality of one’s relationships directly relates to the underlying aging process is less clear. We hypothesized that lower social support and higher relationship strain would be associated with an accelerated epigenetic aging profile among older adults in the Health and Retirement Study. Adults ( N = 3,647) aged 50-96 years completed ratings of support and strain in relationships with their spouse, children, other family, and friends. They also provided a blood sample and DNA methylation profiling derived epigenetic aging measures: Horvath, Hannum, PhenoAge, GrimAge, and Dunedin Pace of Aging methylation (PoAm). Generalized linear models adjusting for age, sex, and race/ethnicity revealed that lower support from one’s spouse, children, other family, and friends and higher strain with one’s spouse, children, and friends was associated with an accelerated epigenetic aging profile. In secondary analyses that further adjusted for socioeconomic and lifestyle factors and following false discovery rate correction, support from other family members and friends was associated with epigenetic aging. Findings suggest that lower support within close relationships relates to epigenetic aging acceleration, offering one mechanism through which relationship quality might influence risk for age-related disease.