A recent research revealed that excessive alcohol consumption may boost the risk of cancer and even lead to premature aging. The length of telomere shortens gradually as people age.

Excessive alcohol intake is associated to oxidative stress and inflammation. These mechanisms accelerate telomere shortening. As telomere shortening is related to increase in cancer risk, researchers guessed that people, who had shorter telomeres because of heavy alcohol consumption, would have a bigger risk of cancer.

Andrea Baccarelli, who led the research, said, “Heavy alcohol users tend to look haggard, and it is commonly thought that heavy drinking leads to premature aging and earlier onset of diseases of aging. In particular, heavy alcohol drinking has been associated with cancer at multiple sites”.

The serum DNA of about 59 participants, who abused alcohol, was measured by the scientists in comparison to 197 participants who had variable alcohol consumption habits.

Participants who had high level of alcohol consumption, had telomere lengths dramatically shortened, while it was about half as long as that in the non-abusers.

These results were presented at 101st annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.