Sugary drinks shorten telomeres

As the scientists at the University of California, sugary soft drinks could accelerate aging as a tobacco addiction.

The study showed that people who drank the equivalent of two cans of Cola a day, changes the DNA of the cells was 4.6 years older. This is the first experiment showing negative link soft drinks with premature ageing. After analyzing thousands of DNA samples aeration fans, scientists found that they have shorter telomeres.

The shortening of these ends of chromosomes, influences the development of diseases such as Alzheimer's, heart, diabetes. Short telomeres – a sign of ill health and premature death. Fans of the sweet "pop" had 'significantly' shorter telomeres than those who do not abuse sweet drinks.





Professor Elissa Epel: "Regular consumption of sweetened carbonated drinks can affect the development of diseases, not only through changes in metabolic control of sugar by the body, but also through accelerated cellular aging of tissues. This is the first demonstration of how soda is associated with short telomeres".

However, the researcher stressed that the data only show a link between soft drinks and aging, but does not prove that soda causes aging of cells. The scientists measured telomeres in the white blood cells 5309 participants aged 20 to 65, without diabetes or cardiovascular disease. The effect of the drinks on telomere length was the same as from Smoking. Dr. Cindy Leung: "Now we need to understand what dietary factors can lead to the shortening of telomeres, and which can be lengthened".