Sugary beverages are suspected of contributing to the obesity epidemic. New research suggests that they may also be associated with damage inside cells.
Investigators at the University of California San Francisco found that people who commonly consume regular soft drinks had shorter telomeres than people who did not guzzle sugar-sweetened drinks. Telomeres are found on the ends of chromosomes where they form protective caps a bit like the plastic tips on shoelaces. Shorter telomeres are seen as an indication of cellular aging and have been linked to inflammation, insulin resistance and heart disease.
A Soda a Day Could Cut Life Span by Years
The researchers extrapolated from their findings to calculate the effect of drinking a 20 ounce soda daily. It could be expected to shorten a person’s life span by more than four years.
The study reviewed DNA data from more than 5,000 adults. Smoking also shortens telomeres, while regular exercise can help keep them long.
