Two new studies are shedding light on the factors that influence biological aging — the wear and tear on our cells and tissues that can diverge significantly from the number of candles on our birthday cakes. One points to a surprisingly common social threat, while the other suggests a simple daily habit that might help turn back the clock.
A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that spending time with people who consistently create problems — dubbed "hasslers" by the researchers — can accelerate biological aging. Analyzing data from 2,345 participants ranging in age from 18 to 103, the team found that nearly 29% of people reported having at least one hassler in their social network. Those with more hasslers showed faster biological aging along with higher rates of depression, anxiety, and poorer overall health. "Dealing with a hassler definitely takes a toll on mental health, and I see that in my work every day," said Alex Dimitriu, MD, a psychiatrist who was not involved in the study.
On the other side of the equation, a separate study published by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital found that taking a daily multivitamin may slow biological aging by up to four months over a two-year period. The randomized trial of 958 adults ages 60 and older used epigenetic clocks — molecular tools that estimate cellular aging based on DNA markers — to measure the effect. Those who took a daily multivitamin appeared to age about 20 months at the cellular level over the course of 24 months, compared to the full two years experienced by the placebo group.
Both studies rely on the distinction between biological and chronological aging. Chronological age is simply how long you've been alive. Biological age reflects the actual condition of your cells and tissues, influenced by genetics, lifestyle, stress, and environment. Two people born on the same day can have very different biological ages depending on how they've lived — and, it now seems, whom they've spent time with.
Experts urge caution about reading too much into either finding. Michelle Routhenstein, a preventive cardiology dietitian not involved in the multivitamin study, noted that the changes observed are in biomarkers, "not direct evidence of fewer heart attacks, cancers, or longer life span." The multivitamin study was also partially funded by Haleon and Mars Inc., which provided the supplements. Meanwhile, the hassler study's authors acknowledged that people with existing social or health vulnerabilities may be more likely to have difficult people in their lives, making cause and effect harder to untangle. Still, taken together, the research underscores a growing scientific consensus: aging is not just about the passage of time, but about the daily exposures — both social and nutritional — that shape our biology.