Eating with someone you love could help your body regulate blood sugar, Israeli study finds

A new study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, published in Science Advances, reveals that eating with a loved one can help regulate blood sugar levels more effectively than eating alone. Led by Prof. Shir Atzil, the research introduces "social physiology," showing that social proximity improves glucose recovery, temperature regulation, and stress reduction without physical touch. The findings suggest the brain may optimize bodily functions through social interaction, with future research targeting diabetic populations.

A new study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, published in Science Advances, finds that eating with someone you love helps the body regulate blood sugar more efficiently. Researchers led by Prof. Shir Atzil and PhD student Monia Masalha, with Dr. Shai Fuchs from Sheba Medical Center, gave participants a standardized 50-gram carbohydrate meal and measured glucose levels over 120 minutes. When participants ate with a close companion, they experienced smaller glucose spikes and faster recovery compared to eating alone. The average glucose level change was 23%, though variation was significant. The effect extended beyond blood sugar: social proximity also improved temperature regulation during cold exposure and reduced stress responses in adults and infants. These benefits appeared even without physical touch and were not explained by reduced stress. The researchers call this principle "social physiology" — the idea that the human body regulates itself more efficiently in the presence of social partners. Atzil noted that the brain, which keeps the body running, may be the mechanism, as infants learn to regulate through social interaction. The study did not test diabetics or pre-diabetics, but Atzil said that is the obvious next direction. The research was supported by a European Research Council Starting Grant.