In a recent study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, researchers explored the connections between substance use and biological aging. The study analyzed data from 2,276 adults participating in the Person-to-Person Health Interview Study in Indiana. Participants provided saliva samples for DNA methylation profiling and completed validated assessments of substance use disorder (SUD) severity, alcohol use, and nicotine consumption.
The researchers focused on two specific measures of biological aging: AgeAccelGrim2 and DunedinPACE. These measures are based on DNA methylation patterns, which are known to reflect biological age. The study aimed to determine whether clinically significant alcohol use, nicotine consumption, and opioid use were associated with accelerated biological aging.
Results indicated that binary measures of illicit opioid use and non-prescription opioid use were positively associated with both AgeAccelGrim2 and DunedinPACE. Specifically, illicit opioid use showed a strong correlation (β=0.417, p=5.913e-11) with AgeAccelGrim2, while non-prescription opioid use also demonstrated significant associations (β=0.264, p=1.744e-09) with both measures of biological aging.
Furthermore, clinically significant alcohol use was positively associated with AgeAccelGrim2 (β=0.177, p=2.111e-08) but did not show a significant relationship with DunedinPACE. The study also found that cigarette smoking was positively associated with both measures of biological aging across all levels of smoking. In contrast, hookah use was negatively associated with AgeAccelGrim2 but not with DunedinPACE.
Interestingly, vaping did not show any significant association with accelerated biological aging when analyzed alongside cigarette smoking. The findings suggest that substance use, particularly cigarette smoking and opioid use, is strongly linked to accelerated biological aging.
The authors of the study emphasize the importance of further research to understand the mechanisms that link opioid use and vaping to biological aging. They highlight the potential implications for public health and the need for interventions targeting substance use to mitigate its effects on biological aging.
What this study does not show
This study does not establish causation between substance use and biological aging, nor does it explore the underlying mechanisms involved.
Evidence scorecard
- Analytic validity: Established
- Clinical validity: Partial
- Clinical utility: Not established
The evidence is based on primary research involving human participants.