A study has shown a link between mental health issues and heart disease risk and genetic resistance to alcohol
A recent study, featured in Lancet eBioMedicine, elucidated the correlation between genes associated with alcohol resistance and various other health afflictions, including cardiovascular ailments, migraines, epilepsy, allergies, and psychological disorders, among others. This interconnection potentially exacerbates the susceptibility to such conditions.
The investigation involved scrutinizing the genetic profiles of over 3 million individuals and dissecting their DNA. Notably, the study pinpointed alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs) and aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) as pivotal enzymes in alcohol metabolism.
Alcohol Metabolism Certain individuals possess specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the alcohol dehydrogenase 1B (ADH1B) and 1C (ADH1C) genes, altering their amino acid sequence. Consequently, they metabolize alcohol into acetaldehyde at an accelerated pace. Similarly, those with coding polymorphisms in aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) exhibit slower conversion of acetaldehyde to acetate. These genetic variations modulate the adverse effects of acetaldehyde levels, thus curtailing alcohol intake and serving as a shield against alcohol use disorder and its associated health complications, such as alcohol-induced liver disease and malignancies. The focus of the researchers was on these SNPs.
Reaction to Alcohol The study suggests that these ‘lightweight genes’ provoke adverse reactions to alcohol, such as nausea, thereby deterring excessive consumption. However, it posits a potential association between these genes and certain health maladies, including cardiovascular issues, psychological disorders, migraines, allergies, epilepsy, and others. Nonetheless, the precise linkage remains elusive, necessitating further exploration.
Conducted by a research consortium based at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, the study was spearheaded by Sandra Sanchez-Roige, the corresponding author and an associate professor at the UC San Diego School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry. In a statement to UC San Diego Today, Sanchez-Roige expounded, “Individuals harboring the minor allele variant of the SNP exhibit rapid ethanol to acetaldehyde conversion, precipitating numerous adverse effects.” She further elaborated that the resultant nausea supersedes any gratifying sensations from alcohol, akin to an immediate onset of a severe hangover.
According to the UC San Diego Today report, Sanchez-Roige emphasized that their findings pave the way for extensive future investigations, unraveling plausible connections between alcohol-protective alleles and seemingly unrelated conditions.
“Comprehending the underlying mechanisms of these phenomena could yield therapeutic breakthroughs and advance preventive medicine,” remarked Sanchez-Roige.
