Many men may argue a 'nagging' wife is the root of all illness but according to scientists, marriage has a positive effect on wellness.
A new research study examined the blood from almost 1,800 men aged between 57 and 85 in order to measure the levels of C-reactive protein - a substance has been linked to heart disease, depression and stoke.
The results showed that the married test subjects had the least amount of DRP - over 50% less of that found in the blood of single men.
The study, published in the Psychosomatic Medicine journal this month, concluded that marriage lessened a man's risk of health issues by approximately 10%.
Marriage also beat the benefits of normal blood pressure levels, which reduced risk by just 3.42 per cent, and of not smoking, which lowered risk by 7.94 per cent.
So why such strong an impact on health? Professor Tony Cassidy, from Ulster University, told the UK's Daily Mail that: 'This shows how strong the effect of being married and having strong social bonds can be. Men don't necessarily get the same kind of support from their friendships.
YOUR SAY: Do you think marriage has a positive effect on men's health?
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