The Effect of Alcohol on Telomere Length: A Systematic Review of Epidemiological Evidence and a Pilot Study during Pregnancy.

ABSTRACT: Several studies-albeit with still inconclusive and limited findings-began to focus on the effect of drinking alcohol on telomere length (TL). Here, we present results from a systematic review of these epidemiological studies to investigate the potential association between alcohol consumption, alcohol-related disorders, and TL. The analysis of fourteen studies-selected from PubMed, Medline, and Web of Science databases-showed that people with alcohol-related disorders exhibited shorter TL, but also that alcohol consumption per se did not appear to affect TL in the absence of alcohol abuse or dependence. Our work also revealed a lack of studies in the periconceptional period, raising the need for evaluating this potential relationship during pregnancy. To fill this gap, we conducted a pilot

SUBMITTER: Maugeri A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8126216 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature