The study conducted by Fekete et al. investigates the associations between various forms of substance use and epigenetic age acceleration. The research focuses on clinically significant alcohol use, nicotine consumption, opioid use, and overall substance use disorder (SUD) severity, utilizing data from 2276 adults participating in the Person-to-Person Health Interview Study in Indiana.
Background
Prior research has not thoroughly examined the links between validated measures of substance use and accelerated biological aging. The authors aimed to fill this gap by analyzing population-based data to determine if substance use correlates with biological aging as measured by DNA methylation profiling.
Methods
Participants provided saliva samples for DNA methylation analysis, which were used to calculate biological aging metrics, specifically AgeAccelGrim2 and DunedinPACE. The study employed regression models to estimate associations between substance use indicators and biological aging, adjusting for relevant covariates.
Results
The findings revealed several significant associations:
- Binary measures of illicit opioid use showed a positive correlation with both AgeAccelGrim2 (β=0.417, p=5.913e-11) and DunedinPACE (β=0.180, p=0.010).
- Non-prescription opioid use was also positively associated with AgeAccelGrim2 (β=0.264, p=1.744e-09) and DunedinPACE (β=0.127, p=0.008).
- A continuous measure of SUD severity correlated positively with both biological aging measures (AgeAccelGrim2: β=0.061, p=6.608e-06; DunedinPACE: β=0.039, p=0.008).
- Clinically significant alcohol use was positively associated with AgeAccelGrim2 (β=0.177, p=2.111e-08) but not with DunedinPACE.
- Cigarette smoking was positively associated with both biological aging measures at all levels of smoking.
- Hookah use showed a negative association with AgeAccelGrim2 but no association with DunedinPACE.
- Vaping did not show a significant association with accelerated biological aging when analyzed alongside cigarette smoking.
Conclusions
The study concludes that substance use, particularly cigarette smoking and opioid use, is strongly linked to accelerated biological aging. These findings highlight the necessity for further research into the mechanisms connecting opioid use and vaping to 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 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.