Multidomain Correlates of Telomere Shortening in Adults Receiving Advanced Wellness Programs in Thailand
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To characterize telomere length (TL) and determine biological and clinical factors associated with telomere shortening among individuals leukocyte telomere length (LTL) receiving an advanced wellness program at a clinical wellness institution in Thailand.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included adults aged ≥18 years who underwent TL assessment as part of advanced wellness programs at two clinical wellness institutions in Thailand. Demographic, hormonal, micronutrient, metabolic, and clinical laboratory data were extracted from electronic medical records and laboratory databases within two weeks before or after TL measurement. Associations between TL and related demographic, hormonal, micronutrient, metabolic, and clinical variables were assessed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. A two-sided p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
RESULTS: Among 1,684 records, TL –derived biological aging was significantly associated with multiple biological domains. Higher levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) were positively correlated with slower aging, while cortisol showed no significant association. Markers of glucose metabolism, including fasting glucose, HbA1c, and insulin, demonstrated consistent inverse correlations with TL, indicating accelerated aging with poorer glycemic control. Lipid parameters showed modest associations: total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were positively associated with slower aging, whereas triglycerides were inversely associated with faster aging. Ferritin levels were negatively correlated with telomere-related aging, while C-reactive protein (CRP) showed no consistent relationship. Several micronutrients and antioxidants, particularly magnesium, selenium, folate, vitamin D, and coenzyme Q10, exhibited significant inverse associations with accelerated aging, most prominently in the fast-aging group.
CONCLUSION: Telomere shortening was associated with specific biological domains, particularly metabolic regulation and endocrine function, followed by micronutrient status, whereas associations with acute inflammatory markers were limited. These findings support the role of TL as a contextual biomarker for investigating biological aging within clinical wellness institutions in Thailand settings.
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