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A recent study by the University of California–San Francisco has found that regularly drinking 657g (just under two cans) of sugary soft drink shortens life by an average of 4.6 years. This is due to the effect these drinks have on the telomeres of the chromosomes in our white blood cells.
Numerous studies have linked the length of leukocyte telomeres to life expectancy. Telomeres are made up of repeated fragments of DNA located at the terminal region of the chromosomes, and their purpose is to protect the internal DNA that holds the genetic information determining the structure and proper functioning of our body. These DNA repeats are set from birth and gradually decrease in number owing to the many attacks by oxidising agents that take place in our cells throughout life (oxidative ageing). Various conditions result in this kind of cellular damage, such as inflammatory processes, insulin resistance or diabetes, and other metabolic or coronary diseases.
Against this backdrop, scientists at the University of California–San Francisco (UCSF) set out to determine whether the habitual consumption of sugary soft drinks might be associated with the shortening of the telomeres in our immune system cells. To this end, the researchers assessed 5,309 healthy participants aged between 20 and 65, using data from their National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between 1999 and 2002.
The results reported that the average consumption of sugary soft drinks was 340g per day (12 ounces), although 21% of participants said they drank at least 567g (20 ounces) a day. They confirmed that, indeed, the more soft drinks consumed, the shorter the telomeres, always taking the individual's age into account. They looked for a similar association with other types of drinks but did not find one — only with sugary soft drinks.
The cause is the metabolic effort of eliminating the sugar, combined with the direct damage it does to the cells. The researchers calculated that, roughly, for every 567g (20 ounces) of sugary soft drink habitually consumed, life expectancy is reduced by 4.6 years because of the biological ageing over and above what is normal for the individual's age.
According to the authors, the shortening of the telomeres caused by sugar consumption is entirely comparable to the effect of smoking. However, they also point out that regular exercise has the opposite, anti-ageing effect (although, sadly, those who drink so many soft drinks every day tend not to be athletes).
The next phase of the study, now under way, is longitudinal — that is, following the participants over several years to see how they evolve, rather than measuring this association at a single point in their lives. This new study could be highly relevant given that, in the case of the USA where it is being carried out, around 50% of the population regularly drink sugary beverages and approximately 1 in 4 consume at least 200 calories a day from this source, while 5% consume at least 567 calories (the equivalent of four cans of soft drink).
Reference: Leung et al. Soda and Cell Aging: Associations Between Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption and Leukocyte Telomere Length in Healthy Adults From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Am J Public Health, Oct 2014; doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302151