Sugary Sodas May Accelerate Cell Aging

Telomeres are the end caps of chromosomes, protecting the DNA complexes from deterioration during cell division. Telomere shortening is considered a marker of cellular aging, and prematurely shortened telomeres have been linked to increased risk of cancers, heart disease, dementia and death.  Elissa Epel, from the University of California/San Diego (UCSD; California, USA), and colleagues analyzed data collected on 5,309 US adults, ages 20 to 65 years, with no history of diabetes or cardiovascular disease, enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys: 1999 to 2002.  The researchers observed shorter telomere length in the white blood cells of survey participants who reported drinking more soda. The average sugar-sweetened soda consumption for all survey participants was 12 ounces. Based on the way telomere length shortens on average with chronological age, the team calculated that daily consumption of a 20-ounce soda was associated with 4.6 years of additional biological aging. The study authors write that: “Regular consumption of sugar-sweetened sodas might influence metabolic disease development through accelerated cell aging.”