Substance use has been a topic of extensive research, particularly regarding its long-term effects on health and aging. A recent study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence investigates the relationship between various forms of substance use and epigenetic age acceleration, focusing on alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, and substance use disorder (SUD) severity.
Study Overview
The research analyzed data from 2,276 adults who participated in the Person-to-Person Health Interview Study in Indiana. Participants completed validated assessments to measure SUD severity, clinically significant alcohol use, non-prescription and illicit opioid use, and nicotine use. Additionally, saliva samples were collected for DNA methylation profiling, which is a method used to assess biological aging.
Two specific measures of biological aging were utilized in the study: AgeAccelGrim2 and DunedinPACE. These measures help quantify the extent of biological aging compared to chronological age.
Key Findings
The results revealed several significant associations:
- Binary measures of illicit opioid use showed a strong positive correlation with both AgeAccelGrim2 and DunedinPACE.
- Non-prescription opioid use also exhibited a positive association with biological aging measures.
- Clinically significant alcohol use was positively associated with AgeAccelGrim2 but did not show a similar relationship with DunedinPACE.
- Cigarette smoking was positively associated with both measures of biological aging across all levels of smoking.
- Interestingly, hookah use was negatively associated with AgeAccelGrim2, while vaping did not show any significant association when analyzed alongside cigarette smoking.
These findings suggest that certain forms of substance use, particularly cigarette smoking and opioid use, are strongly linked to accelerated biological aging. The study highlights the importance of understanding the mechanisms that may contribute to these associations.
What this study does not show
This study does not establish causation between substance use and biological aging, nor does it explore the underlying biological mechanisms involved.
Evidence scorecard
- Analytic validity: established
- Clinical validity: not established
- Clinical utility: not established
The evidence is based on primary research involving human participants.