Alcohol influences telomere length and accelerates biological ageing according to a genetic-based study.
Chromosomes, thread-like structures into which our DNA is organised, have an area at their tip called a telomere. The telomere acts as a protective 'cap' which helps to protect DNA from being lost during replication. Researchers conducting the study found that alcohol can damage the DNA in telomeres, making them shorter, which is associated with age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, cancer, and heart disease.
'These findings support the suggestion that alcohol, particularly at excessive levels, directly affects telomere length. Shortened telomeres have been proposed as risk factors which may cause a number of severe age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease.' said lead author Dr Anya Topiwala from Oxford Population Health, at the University of Oxford.
The researchers, publishing their findings in Molecular Psychiatry, used data from around 245,000 people aged between 40-69 from the UK Biobank, a biomedical database that contains genetic and health information from half a million people in the UK. Blood samples were used to determine telomere length and were compared to self-reported weekly alcohol consumption from participants in an observational assessment.
This assessment showed that people with a high alcohol intake (more than 29 units of alcohol a week) had shorter telomere lengths, which is equivalent to one or two years of age-related change compared to those who drank less than six units of alcohol a week. In addition, people who had been diagnosed with an alcohol-use disorder had significantly shorter telomere lengths, equivalent to between three and six years of age-related change.
For the first time, Mendelian randomisation was used to study the effects of alcohol on ageing. The researchers investigated whether there was a link between known genetic markers for alcohol-use disorder (a pattern of alcohol use that involves problems controlling drinking) and telomere length.
This analysis showed a significant link between genetically-predicted alcohol-use disorder and telomere length equivalent to about three years of ageing, with AD1HB, an alcohol metabolism gene, being the most influential genetic variant. However, this link was only significant for people drinking more than 17 units per week, which suggests a minimum amount of alcohol may need to be consumed before telomeres become damaged.
Overall, the reduction in telomere length was only observed in current drinkers, and not previous drinkers or people who had never consumed alcohol.
'We welcome all research into the effects of alcohol on the human body. This particular study shows clear links between consuming alcohol and ageing, and points towards a possible link between alcohol and Alzheimer's. The researchers are transparent that this study does not prove a causal link, but they also make a well-argued case about the likely biological mechanism' added Dr Richard Piper, chief executive of Alcohol Change UK.
Sources and References
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Genetic study provides evidence that alcohol accelerates biological ageing
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Alcohol consumption and telomere length: Mendelian randomization clarifies alcohol’s effects
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Drinking too much could damage your DNA, research finds
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Exceeding weekly alcohol recommendations linked to short chromosomes
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Five glasses of wine a week can cause premature ageing
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Alcohol might speed up ageing: Here's how
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