People who consume more than 17 units of alcohol in a week – equal to around five large glasses of wine or eight beers – have been found to have ‘older’ DNA, scientists at the University of Oxford have found. The study, published Tuesday in Molecular Psychiatry, revealed that excessive alcohol consumption can damage DNA by causing damage to telomeres — like protective caps at the ends of a chromosome — that could ultimately lead to age-related diseases and cancer formation. . Smear tests found that 40% of the study’s top drinkers — those who drank more than 17 units a week — had shorter telomere length caused by alcohol consumption. The other 60% – who drank less than 17 units – were genetically intact. Telomere length is considered an indicator of biological aging. When telomeres become too short, cells cannot divide and may even die – with studies linking shorter telomere length to age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cancer and coronary heart disease. DNA damage started when people drank more than 17 units a week.Getty Images Researchers investigated the association between alcohol intake and telomere length in more than 245,000 participants who took part in the UK Biobank survey between 2006 and 2010. Most of the participants were current drinkers, with only 3% never drinking and the 4% had previously drunk. 51% were male, 49% were female, and the average age of the participants was 57. The scientists looked for genetic markers in the participants previously associated with alcohol consumption and related disorders and compared them with those who drank more or less than the recommended amounts. They found that increasing drinks from 10 units to 32 units per week was associated with the equivalent of three years of aging. Dr Anya Topiwala, from Oxford Population Health, said the study’s findings support the theory that alcohol directly affects telomere length. This DNA damage has been linked to age-related health issues such as Alzheimer’s disease. Getty Images/EyeEm Premium “Our results provide another piece of information for clinicians and patients seeking to reduce the harmful effects of excessive alcohol consumption,” Topiwala said in a statement. “Also, the dose of alcohol is important—even reducing alcohol consumption could have benefits.” The CDC recommends no more than two drinks for adult men, or one drink or less per day for women, on days when alcohol is consumed. A typical alcoholic drink includes 12 ounces of 5% alcohol malt, 8 ounces of 7% alcohol malt, or 5 ounces of 12% alcohol, or 1.5 ounces of spirits such as rum, gin, vodka, or whiskey.
