Drinking three glasses of wine a week may be in your DNA: The amount of alcohol you consume is “significantly” influenced by your genes, a study finds
- Researchers analyzed genes and studied the alcohol consumption of 3.4 million people
- The amount of wine you consume in a week is largely influenced by genes
- It could increase a person’s average weekly consumption by up to three drinks
If a bottle of wine disappears fairly quickly after you open it, your genes may be to blame.
According to a study, how much wine someone drinks in a week is significantly influenced by their genes.
This could increase a person’s average weekly consumption by up to three drinks.
The researchers looked at the genes of nearly 3.4 million people, mostly of white European background, including people in the UK, who were asked how many alcoholic drinks they consumed in an average week.
If a bottle of wine disappears fairly quickly after you open it, your genes may be to blame
White people of European descent drink the most
Humans have around 20,000 genes — the “blueprints” for everything from eye color to intelligence and behavior — in almost every cell in their body.
Humans are 99.9 percent identical in their genetic makeup, sharing most genes but showing variations in some of them that can be linked to lifestyle choices.
The researchers were able to identify the thousands of genetic variations that are more commonly seen in people who drank more alcohol in an average week.
It found that the 10 percent of Whites of European descent with the highest “score” for these genetic variations consumed more than seven standard beverages per week on average.
Among those of European background, the 10 percent of people with the highest genetic score related to drinking down an average of more than seven drinks a week.
The 10 percent of people with the lowest genetic score drank fewer than four drinks a week on average.
Professor Dajiang Liu, co-author of the study, from Penn State University, said: “How much you drink may not depend solely on whether you’ve had a stressful day or how good the bottle of wine in the fridge tastes – genes play an important sub-role .
“These results could also help explain why there are some people who are always ready to go to a bar for a drink, or ready to open a bottle of wine.”
“However, we cannot blame our genes entirely, as behavior is very important when it comes to drinking behavior and it is always possible for people to choose to drink less alcohol and lead healthier lives.”
Humans have around 20,000 genes — the “blueprints” for everything from eye color to intelligence and behavior — in almost every cell in their bodies.
Humans are 99.9 percent identical in their genetic makeup, sharing most genes but showing variations in some of them that can be linked to lifestyle choices.
The researchers were able to identify the thousands of genetic variations that are more commonly seen in people who drank more alcohol in an average week.
It found that the 10 percent of Whites of European descent with the highest “score” for these genetic variations consumed more than seven standard beverages per week on average
It found that the 10 percent of Whites of European descent with the highest “score” for these genetic variations consumed more than seven standard beverages per week on average.
A standard drink, as defined in the study, is roughly a small 150mL glass of wine at 12 percent strength, a small 350mL bottle of beer at 5 percent strength, or just over a shot of a spirit such as gin.
The new study, published in the journal Nature, found that people with a higher genetic likelihood of being smokers also tended to consume more alcoholic beverages per week.
Those who drank more per week also had a higher genetic risk of developing a drinking problem.
The researchers found a total of more than 2,300 genetic variations linked to drinking and smoking.
Professor Liu said: “We have now found more than 1,900 additional genes linked to alcohol and tobacco use that had not been identified before.
“A large majority of these genetic variations are shared by people from different ethnic groups, but how people live is still more important than what’s in their DNA.”
WHEN DID PEOPLE START DRINKING BEER?
Humans have a long history of drinking alcohol.
The primitive cultures of Mesopotania are believed to have existed as early as 10,000 BC. brewed barley malt waste, but there are no records of it.
The earliest evidence of beer drinking comes from northern China 9,000 years ago.
Made from hawthorn fruit, Chinese wild grapes, rice and honey, this ancient brew is the oldest known fermented beverage in history – even older than wine.
The earliest evidence of beer drinking comes from northern China 9,000 years ago
To make it, the corn was ground and moistened in the maker’s mouth to convert the starches in the corn into fermentable sugars – before being “spit” into the beer.
Throughout history, drinking alcohol has helped people become more creative and fueled the development of language, art, and religion.
This is because alcohol lowers inhibitions and makes people feel more spiritual.
According to the papyrus scrolls, the Egyptians began about 5,000 BC. with the brewing of beer.
They brewed things like dates, pomegranates, and other native herbs.
Around 3150 BC The Egyptians used industrial breweries to supply beer to the workers building the Pyramids of Giza.
Eventually, beer made its way to Europe from the Middle East, where an abundance of barley crops provided many raw materials for brewers.
Experts have now found evidence of brewing in Greece during the Bronze Age.
Researchers believe that these prehistoric people liked to be merry with alcoholic beverages at festivals all year round, and not just when the grapes were ripe.
Not only was it considered nutritious, but it was also a safe alternative to drinking water.
In the Middle Ages, malted barley became the main source of fermented sugar and beer became the drink we know today.