Abstract
Although mechanistic studies support a beneficial effect of several dietary flavonoids on telomere length (TL), to our knowledge no studies have examined associations between habitual flavonoid intakes and TL in population-based studies. We examined the associations between habitual intake of major flavonoid subclasses (flavonols, flavones, flavanones, flavan-3-ols and their polymers, and anthocyanins) and TL in a cross-sectional analysis of 4,944 disease-free females from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS). Flavonoid intakes were collected using food frequency questionnaire data, and TL was measured in peripheral blood leukocytes using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Multivariable-adjusted least squares mean leukocyte TL (z scores and corresponding standard error [SE]) for total and all flavonoid subclasses were calculated using generalized linear models. Although no individual flavonoid subclass was significantly associated with TL in the overall population, when we restricted analyses to younger and middle-aged participants (aged < 55 y), a higher anthocyanin intake associated with longer TL (least squares means ± SE: 0.06 ± 0.06 for the highest versus 0.24 ± 0.07 for the lowest quintile; P-trend = 0.042), corresponding to 6.6 (95% CI, 1.7-14.5) years of aging. In food-based analyses, participants aged < 55 y who consumed more berries had longer TL (Mean TL: 0.10 ± 0.04 for never/rarely; 0.21 ± 0.04 for ≤ 1 serving/week; 0.44 ± 0.26 for ≥ 2 servings/week; P = 0.033 for trend). Similarly, a higher anthocyanin intake was associated with longer TL among pre-menopausal females (0.46 ± 0.11 for the highest versus 0.02 ± 0.08 for the lowest quintile; P-trend = 0.001). Overall, habitual flavonoid intake was not associated with TL attrition in this cross-sectional analysis. However, in females aged < 55 y a higher anthocyanin intake was associated with longer TL, which raises the possibility that anthocyanin-rich foods may promote healthy aging and warrants further investigation with respect to age.