Adults with a history of childhood trauma have an increased disease risk. To explore potential underlying biological mechanisms, in this paper we tested whether a history of childhood trauma was linked to blood levels of metabolites – molecules involved in chemical processes necessary to life – in a cohort study including 2902 adults. We found that childhood trauma was linked to altered levels of metabolites involved in the body’s ability to break down and use fats and amino acids, and in its reaction to stress. The more severe the childhood trauma, the larger the alterations in metabolite levels. The alterations were partly overlapping with the ones observed in depression, but also partly singular to childhood trauma. The alterations possibly contribute to disease development, making them a potential intervention target in persons with childhood trauma.

Our findings uncovered the metabolomic signature of childhood trauma. These disruptions, observed decades after the trauma occurred, are likely involved in developing illnesses such as psychiatric and cardiometabolic diseases. Having identified this metabolomic signature may help elucidate mechanisms leading to disease and inform the development of early interventions to promote health.