Abstract
Studies based on self-reported alcohol consumption and telomere length show inconsistent results. Therefore, we studied the association between gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), a widely used biomarker of alcohol intake, and telomere length. The possible health relevance in young adulthood was explored by investigating cardiometabolic risk factors. Mixed modelling was performed to examine GGT and alcohol consumption in association with telomere length in buccal cells of 211 adults between 18 and 30 years old of the East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey. In addition, we investigated the association between GGT and cardiometabolic risk factors; waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. Although we did not observe an association between self-reported alcohol consumption and telomere length, our results show that a doubling in serum GGT is associated with 7.80% (95% CI − 13.9 to − 1.2%; p = 0.02) shorter buccal telomeres, independently from sex, chronological age, educational level, zygosity and chorionicity, waist-to-hip ratio and smoking. The association between GGT was significant for all five cardiometabolic risk factors, while adjusting for age. We show that GGT, a widely used biomarker of alcohol consumption, is associated with telomere length and with risk factors of cardiometabolic syndrome, despite the young age of this study population.
Highlights
Studies based on self-reported alcohol consumption and telomere length show inconsistent results
To explore in young adults the possible health implications of alcohol consumption and oxidative stress, indicated by high serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) concentrations, we investigate the association between GGT and cardiometabolic risk factors and the role of biological ageing
As telomere length is highly variable at birth we adjusted for telomere length at birth. In this analysis accounting for telomere length at birth, we show that a doubling in serum GGT was associated 11.86% shorter telomeres
Summary
Studies based on self-reported alcohol consumption and telomere length show inconsistent results. We show that GGT, a widely used biomarker of alcohol consumption, is associated with telomere length and with risk factors of cardiometabolic syndrome, despite the young age of this study population. Characteristic Adulthood Age, years Birth year Sex Male Female Body mass index, kg/m2 Waist-to-hip ratio Smokers, n Alcohol consumptions per week, units Medication use (possibly associated with GGT) 14 days prior, n Gamma-glutamyl transferase, U/L; median (IQR) Telomere length Birth Young adulthood Education twin Low High Zygosity-chorionicity Dizygotic–dichorionic Monozygotic–dichorionic Monozygotic–monochorionic Complete-pair in final study One twin Both twins Maternal Socioeconomic status: maternal education Low Middle High. To explore in young adults the possible health implications of alcohol consumption and oxidative stress, indicated by high serum GGT concentrations, we investigate the association between GGT and cardiometabolic risk factors and the role of biological ageing
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