A comprehensive new Oxford study has added to the growing body of research highlighting the health effects of alcohol. The large-scale genetic analysis suggests that alcohol consumption directly accelerates aging, by shortening telomeres.

Alcohol is among the most widely used recreational drugs, so it’s extremely important to examine its health impacts. Unfortunately, various studies have revealed that alcohol permanently damages DNA, directly causes cancer, contributes to cognitive decline and early-onset dementia, and can shrink the brain to the equivalent of 10 years of aging. And now a new study has found more evidence that alcohol consumption can accelerate biological aging.

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Telomeres are repetitive sequences of DNA that form protective caps on the tips of chromosomes. Every time a cell divides, a section of these “junk” sequences is lost, and eventually telomeres wear away enough that useful DNA starts to be affected. This causes the cell to stop dividing, and contributes to many of the biological signs of aging. As such, telomere length is often used as a biomarker for aging.

Read more: New Atlas