Psychological Stress May Influence How the Body Ages

A long-recognized metabolic hormone, Fibroblast Growth Factor 21, has been identified as a stress hormone, a discovery that reveals how psychological strain can disrupt metabolism and lead to physical disorders (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Mitochondrial and psychosocial stress-related regulation of FGF21 in humans

Go to source). The findings, published in Nature Metabolism by scientists from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and the Butler Columbia Aging Center, provide key insights into how emotional stress translates into biological changes.

Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 has been extensively studied for more than twenty years for its roles in metabolism, blood sugar regulation, and diabetes. The new evidence demonstrates for the first time that mental stress directly alters Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 levels in the bloodstream, indicating its capacity to connect emotional states with metabolic processes, thereby influencing overall health and biological aging.

Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 as a Link Between Mind and Metabolism

“This is the first human evidence that Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 reacts to mental stress, serving as a hormonal bridge between body and mind,” explained senior author Martin Picard, Ph.D., associate professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia and co-director of the Columbia Science of Health program. “It integrates psychosocial experiences with systemic metabolic communication, expanding the traditional concept of stress-related hormones.”

The team monitored hormonal fluctuations following acute psychological stress in healthy participants and in patients affected by mitochondrial disease, a genetic condition that hampers cellular energy conversion. Among healthy volunteers, Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 levels typically declined immediately after exposure to controlled stress but returned to normal within ninety minutes, illustrating a tightly coordinated and dynamic hormonal rhythm.

Altered Hormonal Patterns in Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Conversely, individuals with mitochondrial defects that hinder normal energy transformation displayed a distinct pattern: Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 concentrations increased after stress and reached their highest point at ninety minutes, signifying a fundamentally altered stress response shaped by mitochondrial biology.

“These outcomes reveal a new area of susceptibility,” said lead author Mangesh Kurade of Columbia University. “The interaction between our social surroundings, psychological states, and mitochondrial function may directly influence metabolic health and long-term disease vulnerability.

Large-Scale Validation Through Population Data

To confirm these findings, the researchers examined information from more than twenty thousand participants in the United Kingdom Biobank and used additional data from their ongoing Mitochondrial Stress and Biomarkers in Emotion project, which explores how psychological and social experiences align with biological mechanisms.

Results indicated that individuals facing loneliness, childhood neglect, or recent relationship disruptions such as marital separation exhibited elevated Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 levels. In contrast, participants with strong emotional connections and social well-being, including frequent social interactions, satisfying relationships, and high levels of social support, showed lower concentrations of this hormone. These population-scale findings support the idea that Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 reflects psychosocial conditions over time.

Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 as a Biological Mediator and Indicator

“Our results suggest that the stress-related hormone and mitochondrial disease indicator Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 not only signals immediate stress responses but also mirrors a person’s emotional and social life throughout the years,” stated co-author Michio Hirano, M.D., professor of neurology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, who directed the clinical component of the investigation.

This consistent validation strengthens the evidence that Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 can act as a dependable biological marker for understanding how emotional and social contexts shape metabolic activity and may influence the progression of mitochondrial disorders.

Implications for Health Monitoring and Mental Well-Being

By recognizing Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 as both a biological connector and a measurable indicator of psychological strain, this work introduces new directions for clinical observation and future therapeutic strategies.

“This discovery unites two historically distinct disciplines, metabolism and stress physiology, implying that next-generation personalized mental health approaches could incorporate Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 and similar biomarkers to evaluate metabolic stress sensitivity and treatment responses,” said Kurade.

Once regarded purely as a metabolic regulator, Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 now appears to bridge mental and physical health, offering insight into how humans age, adapt, and deteriorate under ongoing psychological pressure.

Integrating Emotional Experience and Biological Health

“This is about much more than a single hormone,” commented Picard, also associate professor at the Columbia Butler Aging Center.

“It’s about deciphering how our lived experiences, our relationships, emotional resilience, and everyday stresses, are biologically encoded. A clearer and more integrated understanding of human health is unfolding, marking an exciting frontier for science and medicine.”

Reference:

1. Mitochondrial and psychosocial stress-related regulation of FGF21 in humans - (https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-025-01388-6)

Source-Eurekalert