Insecure relationships may drain immune system

Feeling insecure in close relationships with others may take a toll on the immune system, preliminary research suggests.

In a study of 61 healthy women, Italian researchers found that those who had difficulty establishing close, trusting relationships showed signs of weaker immune function. Specifically, lab experiments showed that the women's "natural killer" immune system cells were less lethal compared with those from other study participants.

Whether this means they're more susceptible to disease is unknown, and for now the answer to that question is a "very prudent maybe," Dr. Angelo Picardi, the study's lead author, told Reuters Health.