Addiction Accelerates Ageing ?

[Ironjustic]

Now THIS is the chicken or egg ..

26-Sep-2007 Research Evidence of Accelerated Ageing in
Clinical Drug Addiction from Immune, Hepatic and Metabolic
Biomarkers Albert S Reece

Immunity & Ageing 2007, 4:6doi:10.1186/1742-4933-4-6

Published: 24 September 2007

Abstract (provisional)

Background Drug addiction is associated with significant
disease and death, but its impact on the ageing process has
not been considered. The recent demonstration that many of the
items available in routine clinical pathology have
applicability as biomarkers of the ageing process implies that
routine clinical laboratory parameters would be useful as an
initial investigation of this possibility.

Methods 12,093 clinical laboratory results 1995-2006 were
reviewed. To make the age ranges of the medical and addicted
groups comparable the age range was restricted to 15-45 years.

Results 739 drug addicted (DA) and 5834 general medical (GM)
age matched blood samples were compared. Significant
elevation of immune parameters was noted in the C-reactive
protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, total lymphocyte
count, serum globulins and the globulin:albumin ratio
(P<0.01). Alanine aminotranferase, creatinine, urea, and
insulin like growth factor-1 were also significantly higher
(P<0.01) in the DA group. Albumin, body mass index and
dihydroepiandrosterone sulphate were unchanged and
cholesterol was lower (all P<0.05).

Conclusion These data demonstrate for the first time that
addiction is associated with an altered profile of common
biomarkers of ageing raising the possibility that the ageing
process may be altered in this group. Infective and immune
processes may be centrally involved. They suggest that
addiction forms an interesting model to further examine the
contribution of immune suppression and hyperstimulation to the
ageing process.

The complete article is available as a provisional PDF. The
fully formatted PDF and HTML versions are in production.

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Published by =A9 1999-2007 BioMed Central Ltd unless
otherwise stated < info@biomedcentral.com > Terms and
conditions

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I wonder if these markers also appear in HIV or ..
homosexuals .. ?

Or those .. Celtic .. folks with red hair .. ?

Who loves ya. Tom

Jesus Was A Vegetarian! http://jesuswasavegetarian.7h.com

Man Is A Herbivore! http://tinyurl.com/a3cc3

DEAD PEOPLE WALKING http://tinyurl.com/zk9fk

[Cormac]

On Sep 26, 3:29 am, "ironjust...@aol.com"
<ironjust...@aol.com> wrote:
> Now THIS is the chicken or egg ..
>
> 26-Sep-2007 Research Evidence of Accelerated Ageing in
> Clinical Drug Addiction from Immune, Hepatic and Metabolic
> Biomarkers Albert S Reece
>
> Immunity & Ageing 2007, 4:6doi:10.1186/1742-4933-4-6
>
> Published: 24 September 2007
>
> Abstract (provisional)
>
> Background Drug addiction is associated with significant
> disease and death, but its impact on the ageing process has
> not been considered. The recent demonstration that many of
> the items available in routine clinical pathology have
> applicability as biomarkers of the ageing process implies
> that routine clinical laboratory parameters would be useful
> as an initial investigation of this possibility.
>
> Methods 12,093 clinical laboratory results 1995-2006 were
> reviewed. To make the age ranges of the medical and
> addicted groups comparable the age range was restricted to
> 15-45 years.
>
> Results 739 drug addicted (DA) and 5834 general medical (GM)
> age matched blood samples were compared. Significant
> elevation of immune parameters was noted in the C-reactive
> protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, total lymphocyte
> count, serum globulins and the globulin:albumin ratio
> (P<0.01). Alanine aminotranferase, creatinine, urea, and
> insulin like growth factor-1 were also significantly higher
> (P<0.01) in the DA group. Albumin, body mass index and
> dihydroepiandrosterone sulphate were unchanged and
> cholesterol was lower (all P<0.05)

Presumably the reference is to illicit drugs. If so what about
alcohol and tobacco?

Cormac.

[James Mich]

On Tue, 25 Sep 2007 19:29:15 -0700, "ironjustice@aol.com"
<ironjustice@aol.com> wrote:

>Now THIS is the chicken or egg ..
>
>26-Sep-2007 Research Evidence of Accelerated Ageing in
>Clinical Drug Addiction from Immune, Hepatic and Metabolic
>Biomarkers Albert S Reece
>
>Immunity & Ageing 2007, 4:6doi:10.1186/1742-4933-4-6
>
>Published: 24 September 2007
>
>Abstract (provisional)
>
>Background Drug addiction is associated with significant
>disease and death, but its impact on the ageing process has
>not been considered. The recent demonstration that many of
>the items available in routine clinical pathology have
>applicability as biomarkers of the ageing process implies
>that routine clinical laboratory parameters would be useful
>as an initial investigation of this possibility.
>
>Methods 12,093 clinical laboratory results 1995-2006 were
>reviewed. To make the age ranges of the medical and
>addicted groups comparable the age range was restricted to
>15-45 years.
>
>Results 739 drug addicted (DA) and 5834 general medical (GM)
>age matched blood samples were compared. Significant
>elevation of immune parameters was noted in the C-reactive
>protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, total lymphocyte
>count, serum globulins and the globulin:albumin ratio
>(P<0.01). Alanine aminotranferase, creatinine, urea, and
>insulin like growth factor-1 were also significantly higher
>(P<0.01) in the DA group. Albumin, body mass index and
>dihydroepiandrosterone sulphate were unchanged and
>cholesterol was lower (all P<0.05).
>
>Conclusion These data demonstrate for the first time that
>addiction is associated with an altered profile of common
>biomarkers of ageing raising the possibility that the ageing
>process may be altered in this group. Infective and immune
>processes may be centrally involved. They suggest that
>addiction forms an interesting model to further examine the
>contribution of immune suppression and hyperstimulation to
>the ageing process.
>
>
>
>The complete article is available as a provisional PDF. The
>fully formatted PDF and HTML versions are in production.
>
>-------------------------------------------------------------
>--------------------
> Published by © 1999-2007 BioMed Central Ltd unless
> otherwise stated < info@biomedcentral.com > Terms and
> conditions
>
>--------------------------------------------------------
>---------
>
>I wonder if these markers also appear in HIV or ..
>homosexuals .. ?
>
>Or those .. Celtic .. folks with red hair .. ?
>
>Who loves ya. Tom
>
>
I sent the following to the author.

James Michael Howard

"It is my hypothesis that the basis of addiction is use of
increased production of DHEA. That is, drugs of addiction
activate areas of the brain which increase use of DHEA in the
process. This allows these areas to increase use of DHEA and
its stimulation. The increased receptors for DHEA form the
basis of increased need of drug amount.

The body becomes conditioned to the amount of DHEA. In the
case of your article, DHEA increases would increase secondary
responses and, therefore, increase cytokines, etc. The drugs
first reduce the levels of DHEA, then the body responds by
increasing DHEA levels.

I suggest the life span is determined by the production of
DHEA. If one uses drugs which increase the production of DHEA,
then one advances the time to the end production of DHEA.
Drugs which stimulate DHEA increase the effects of DHEA but
they also shorten the life span. As the life span is shortened
by use of DHEA, the availability of DHEA for maintaining all
tissues is reduced. Hence, these drugs produce a decline of
DHEA which is somewhat similar to the decline of ageing or
that of cachexia. Of course, other types of drugs will do this
but with less effect as well as such things as jogging /
exercise without such a dramatic decrease in life span, but
with a reduction nonetheless."