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Mahesan Subramaniam: The Physiological Impact of Anger on Immunity

Dato Capt. Mahesan Subramaniam/LinkedIn

Feb 23, 2026, 17:46

Mahesan Subramaniam: The Physiological Impact of Anger on Immunity

Mahesan Subramaniam, Co-Founder of United Health Tourism, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Anger suppresses the immune system by triggering a ‘fight-or-flight’ response that floods the body with stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. While these hormones provide a short-term energy burst, they inhibit the production and activity of critical immune cells.

The physiological impact of anger can be broken down into several key pathways:

Hormonal Inhibition: Elevated cortisol levels directly suppress the activity of white blood cells, including natural killer (NK) cells and lymphocytes, which are essential for fighting off viruses and abnormalities cells.
Inflammatory Dysregulation: Anger increases the production of pro-inflammatory cytokine. Over time, this leads to chronic inflammation, which damages tissues and can trigger autoimmune disorders where the immune system attacks it own body.
Antibody Reduction: Chronic hostility has been linked to a weakened ability to produce antibodies, increasing susceptibility to common infections like the cold or flu.
Cellular ‘Freeze’ Response: In cases of trauma or suppressed rage, the body may stay in a constant state of alert, causing the immune system to eventually ‘collapse’ or become hyper-reactive.

While just one minute of anger can suppress the immune system, chronic or persistent anger is associated with slower wound healing, higher risks of heart disease, and a greater likelihood of developing autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.”

Mahesan Subramaniam