- Growing Evidence Suggests Charitable Donations Can Strengthen the Immune System
Important steps to staying healthy and free from long-term pain aren’t that big of a secret. Regular exercise, watching your weight, and eating healthy.
But scientists have identified another, less likely factor that could have a very significant impact: charitable donations. Simple acts of altruism, such as donating money, giving away time, or even simple acts of kindness, can have enormous health benefits, potentially helping us live longer and boosting immunity. A growing body of evidence suggests that it may harden the system.
In response, researchers at the University of London wondered whether doing things for others, so-called prosocial behavior, could reduce the risk of chronic pain, defined as pain that lasts longer than three months. wanted to confirm.
Some studies suggest that up to 85 percent of people who suffer from chronic pain, not just physical pain, become depressed as a result. This often reduces motivation to take self-help measures that may relieve pain, such as regular gentle exercise.
In a recent study, researchers looked at data from 48,000 people who took part in a long-term study of all aspects of health called the UK Household Longitudinal Study from 2011 to 2020. This included data on so-called prosocial behavior (essentially prosocial behavior). , doing things for the benefit of others) and chronic pain rates.
Study participants were asked if they had donated to charity in the past 12 months, and if so, how much.
Just over two-thirds said they had donated in good faith, and nearly one in five said they had done some volunteer work during the same period.
The researchers matched these details with the number of participants who said their chronic pain had severely impacted their lives over the nine-year study period.
The results, published last month, show that people who donate money to charity have a lower risk of experiencing pain or reporting some type of chronic pain, while volunteering has an even greater impact. It was shown that there is
And those who practiced both saw the greatest benefit.
The researchers say the most likely explanation for this is that volunteer work usually involves some form of physical activity that stimulates the body’s own release of endorphins, pain relievers and mood-enhancing substances. suggested that
But just making a donation can have a similar effect.
Writing in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research, the researchers wrote, “Prosocial behavior also promotes improved mental health, and physical pain and mental health have been found to be highly correlated. there is,” he said.
“Endorphins are produced when you manage to accomplish what you set out to do,” explains psychologist Dr. Audrey Tan.
“They tend to stay in the body afterwards, so they can relieve chronic pain.”
But research shows that the benefits of being kind don’t just prevent pain.
A 2013 study by psychologists at Arizona State University found that people over the age of 55 who offered free help to others or charitable causes were at least as likely to die prematurely as their peers. found to be 24 percent lower. This can be very important for people trying to maintain their physical and mental health after retirement, says Dr. Tan. “It’s not just about social interaction, it’s also about exercising to keep your joints moving and flexible.”
Other studies show that acts of kindness may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, primarily by lowering levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, which can raise blood pressure. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke.
And just seeing someone being altruistic can even increase your ability to fight infections.
In a groundbreaking study dating back to 1988, researchers at Harvard University in the United States asked a group of volunteers to watch a video highlighting Mother Teresa’s philanthropic work in India.
A second group was asked to watch a film about Hitler’s exploits in World War II. Researchers took blood samples before and after to measure participants’ levels of immunoglobulin A, a substance released by the immune system as a defense against bacteria, toxins and viruses.
The results showed that those who had seen Mother Teresa’s altruistic behavior experienced a sudden rise in immunoglobulin A, whereas those who had seen Hitler’s show reel had no change.
The idea that even witnessing an act of kindness can affect one’s own health has become known as the “Mother Teresa Effect.”
“But you’ll probably get more out of doing an altruistic act than watching someone do it,” says Dr. Tan.
