A Gene that Causes Hangovers?

A recent Australian study has discovered an underlying genetic factor that makes some people more resistant to hangovers than others. The study found that genetic factors accounted for 45% of a difference in hangover frequency in women and 40% in men. The other factors that affect a person's susceptibility to hangovers include how quickly a person drinks, whether a person eats while they drink, and a person's tolerance for alcohol. During the study, it was found that people with the genetic variation that caused an increased frequency of hangovers also drank to the point of becoming intoxicated more frequently than their counterparts. Because of this, it may be possible that the same gene that dictates how frequently a person gets hungover may also explain how frequently a person gets drunk in the first place. It is hoped that continuing this research could help scientists learn more about the genes related to alcoholism. Until then, researchers in Australia are hard at work trying to pinpoint the exact gene that increases hangover frequencies in people.

This study was really interesting to me. I was aware of there being a genetic factor involved in alcoholism, but I didn't know that even the frequency of getting a hangover could be partially dictated by genes. It was surprising and just goes to show how important our genes are in determining many components of a person's life. I hope that this research leads scientists in a direction that could help deter the effects of a night of drinking.

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