Advertisements for alcoholic beverages often contain images of young people consuming them with gestures of joy and laughter. However, according to a study by scientists from the University of Oxford, England, alcohol consumption contributes to accelerating the aging processes of the human body.
Traditionally, studying the link between alcohol consumption and longevity has been challenging due to the lack of reliable methods to measure biological aging. Additionally, it was not clear from observational studies whether alcohol was the true cause of any effects or whether it was related to other factors such as socioeconomic status.
But researchers at Oxford University’s Nuffield Department of Population Health have published the results of a new genetic-based analysis that suggests alcohol directly accelerates aging by damaging telomere DNA. The findings were published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.
Telomeres are repeating sequences of DNA that cover the ends of chromosomes, protecting them from damage. Telomere length is considered an indicator of biological aging because between 50 and 100 DNA bases are lost each time a cell replicates. When telomeres become too short, cells can no longer divide and may even die. Previous studies have linked shorter telomeres to an increased risk of several age-related diseases, including Alzheimer’s, cancer and heart disease.
In this analysis, researchers examined the relationship between alcohol consumption and telomere length in more than 245,000 UK Biobank participants. They used a genetic method called Mendelian randomization, which was used for the first time to study the effects of alcohol on aging. This method uses “genetic markers” to predict each participant’s exposure level.
For this study, the researchers used genetic variants that have already been linked to alcohol use and alcohol use disorders in large-scale genome-wide association studies. To complement the Mendelian randomization analysis, the researchers also performed an observational assessment based on the participants’ self-reported weekly alcohol consumption at the time of enrollment.
Observational analyzes found a significant association between heavy alcohol consumption and reduced telomere length. Compared to drinking less than 6 units of alcohol per week (about two 8-ounce glasses of wine), drinking more than 29 units per week (about ten 8-ounce glasses of 14% ABV) was between one and two years associated age-related change in telomere length.
Individuals diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder had significantly shorter telomere lengths compared to controls, representing an age-related change of 3 to 6 years. Similarly, in Mendelian randomization analysis, higher genetically predicted alcohol consumption was associated with shorter telomere length. An increase from 10 units to 32 units per week was associated with aging by 3 years.
However, the association between genetically predicted alcohol consumption and telomere length was only significant for those who drank more than 17 units per week. This suggests that a minimal amount of alcohol consumption may be required to damage telomeres. The analysis also found a significant association between genetically predicted alcohol use disorder and telomere length, which corresponds to approximately 3 years of aging.
Most participants were current drinkers, while only 3% had never drunk and 4% had drunk before. 51% were men and 49% women, the average age was 57 years.
dr Anya Topiwala, study leader at Oxford Population Health, said: “These results support the notion that alcohol, particularly in excessive amounts, directly affects telomere length. Telomere shortening has been suggested as a risk factor that can cause several serious age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Our findings provide additional information for clinicians and patients seeking to reduce the harmful effects of excessive alcohol consumption. The alcohol dose is also important: reducing alcohol consumption could also have benefits.
dr Alcohol Change UK Executive Director Richard Piper said: “We welcome all research into the effects of alcohol on the human body. This particular study shows a clear link between alcohol consumption and aging and points to a possible link between alcohol and Alzheimer’s.
The researchers make it clear that this study does not show a causal relationship, but also make a well-founded thesis on the likely biological mechanism. In general, there is growing scientific evidence as to exactly how alcohol causes so many health problems and premature deaths.”
According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), alcohol is a risk factor for more than 200 health disorders. Most alcohol-related deaths are due to cancer, cardiovascular disease, liver disease and trauma. The Americas is second only to the European Region in terms of alcohol use and exposure. Alcohol consumption is expected to increase unless more effective action is taken.