Meta-analysis suggests link between metabolic syndrome and telomere shortening

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) may be associated with shorter telomere length (TL), suggesting a potential link between MetS and accelerated aging, according to a study.

The meta-analysis, which reviewed data from 9 studies involving 8606 participants, did not find a significant overall difference in TL between those with and without metabolic syndrome (MetS) (SMD = -0.03, 95% CI = -0.17 to 0.10), though there was considerable variability across the studies (P ≤ 0.001). Despite this, a negative correlation between MetS and TL was observed (β = -0.08, 95% CI = -0.15 to -0.004), particularly when MetS was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation criteria.

The researchers concluded that this meta-analysis suggests that MetS may be associated with shorter TL, indicating a possible link to accelerated aging. Further research is necessary to confirm these findings.

Reference
Ibraheem Shelash Al-Hawary S, Ali Alzahrani A, Ghaleb Maabreh H, et al. The association of metabolic syndrome with telomere length as a marker of cellular aging: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Genet. 2024;15:1390198. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1390198. PMID: 39045323; PMCID: PMC11263212.