Recent research has explored the connections between substance use and biological aging, focusing on various forms of substance use, including alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs. This study, published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, examines how these substances relate to epigenetic age acceleration, a measure of biological aging based on DNA methylation patterns.
Background
Prior studies have not thoroughly investigated whether clinically significant measures of substance use disorders (SUD), such as alcohol consumption and opioid use, are linked to accelerated biological aging. The current study aims to fill this gap by analyzing data from a large, state-representative sample of adults.
Methods
The researchers analyzed data from 2,276 adults who participated in the Person-to-Person Health Interview Study in Indiana. Participants provided saliva samples for DNA methylation profiling and completed validated assessments of SUD severity, clinically significant alcohol use, and nicotine consumption. The measures of biological aging included AgeAccelGrim2 and DunedinPACE, both of which are established methods for assessing biological age.
Regression models were employed to estimate the associations between various substance use indicators and biological aging, while adjusting for relevant covariates.
Results
The findings revealed several significant associations:
- Binary measures of illicit opioid use were positively associated with both AgeAccelGrim2 and DunedinPACE, indicating that individuals using illicit opioids exhibited accelerated biological aging.
- Non-prescription opioid use also showed a positive association with biological aging measures.
- Clinically significant alcohol use was positively associated with AgeAccelGrim2 but not with DunedinPACE.
- Cigarette smoking was linked to accelerated biological aging at all levels of consumption, while hookah use was negatively associated with AgeAccelGrim2.
- Interestingly, vaping did not show a significant association with 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 importance of further research into the mechanisms that may connect substance use to biological aging processes.
What this study does not show
This study does not establish causation between substance use and biological aging, nor does it provide insights into the underlying mechanisms of these associations.
Evidence scorecard
- Analytic validity: established
- Clinical validity: not established
- Clinical utility: not established
The evidence is based on primary research involving human participants.