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Your dinner companion might be doing more than keeping you company. A new study in Science Advances found that people had smaller blood sugar spikes after eating carbs when their romantic partner was present versus eating alone. Researchers say this points to a broader concept of "social physiology" — the idea that our bodies regulate themselves more efficiently in close social proximity.
Your dinner companion might be doing more than keeping you company. A new study published in Science Advances found that people experienced smaller post-meal blood sugar spikes and faster glucose recovery after a carbohydrate challenge when their romantic partner was present — compared to eating alone. Researchers from Hebrew University of Jerusalem say this reflects a broader concept they call "social physiology": the idea that human bodies regulate themselves more efficiently in close social proximity.
The study involved 180 adults (ages 18–37) without diabetes across three preregistered experiments, plus an infant pilot study. Similar social benefits were observed not just in glucose regulation, but also in thermoregulation during cold exposure and sympathetic nervous system responses during stress.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: While not yet ready for clinical application, these findings suggest that social bonds may influence basic physiological processes — offering a potential mechanism behind the well-documented link between strong social connections and better long-term health outcomes.
