Are You a Reckless Drinker? Blame Your Genes

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When you imbibe too much, how do you act? Do you get sleepy? Or overly happy? Extra-chummy? Well, a new study reveals why some get angry or do reckless things — and it has to do with their genes.

The research, published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, shows that people who possess a particular genetic variation of the serotonin 2B receptor gene HTR2B are more prone to rash or aggressive behavior when drinking even a small amount of alcohol than those without the mutation.

Previously, this same genetic variation had been found to predispose someone to impulsive behavior.

The findings were conducted by researchers at the University of Helsinki, who examined two groups of Finnish individuals — those with the genetic variation, and those without it.

Participants “were not alcoholics per se, as measured by average alcohol consumption, and were not diagnosed as alcoholics,” the researchers clarify oin the study, “but they had a tendency to lose behavioral control while under the influence of alcohol." People with the variation were also more likely to have anxiety, be uncomfortable with uncertainty, and struggle with self-control or mood disorders.

Related: What Alcohol Does to Your Body, Brain, Heart, and Muscles

So far, the genetic mutation has only been found in Finland, where it is present in 2.2 percent of the population, or approximately 100,000 people. “However, probably many Russians across the eastern border of Finland carry this mutation. And nowadays people move more, which may result” in the passing on of the mutation to people in other countries, lead researcher Roope Tikkanen, PhD, tells Yahoo Health.

Tikkanen and his colleagues used a combination of self-report questionnaires and psychiatric diagnostic interviews to gather behavioral information on study participants, which included a small group of 14 people who carried the mutation and 156 controls who did not. They found that carriers of the mutated gene were more likely to get into arguments or fights, engage in unplanned sex, or be arrested for drunk driving while under the influence of alcohol. And while they also reported that they felt more guilt about their drunken behavior than those who did not have the gene variation, they were still unable to correct their behaviors completely the next time they drank — something Tikkanen says “implies that there may be a biologic susceptibility for losing control while under the influence of alcohol.”

"Fifty to sixty percent of the risk of alcohol dependence is attributable to genetic factors in the population,” Henry Kranzler, MD, professor of psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine and director of the Center for Studies of Addiction at the University of Pennsylvania, tells Yahoo Health. But when it comes to explaining reckless behavior under the influence, “it’s not a matter of being an alcoholic, it’s a matter of being intoxicated.”

“Alcohol is a drug and is governed by the same laws of pharmacology as any other drug. The response will vary by dose” Kranzler explains. “Initially, it reduces tension and is reinforcing, or pleasurable, at low levels, which is why most people drink alcohol. It’s when it’s consumed at higher levels that it begins to impair brain function.” So, if alcohol impairs the brain regions that control movement, then you may stumble or fall, he says. “It can also impair some of the frontal lobe functions that ordinarily govern our behavior, removing some of the governance that ordinarily limits peoples impulsive behavior.”

Related: Does Taking a Month Off From Drinking Actually Do Anything?

We know that body weight and gender influence how your body handles alcohol: Alcohol is dissolved in water, so the bigger you are, the bigger the volume of distribution you give the alcohol and the more you tolerate. Alcohol is not distributed in fat, so the more lean body weight you have, the wider you will distribute the alcohol. And as women have more body fat than men, there is a definite gender bias when it comes to balancing booze. But when it comes to “native tolerance,” the seemingly inherent ability to handle alcohol that some people appear to be born with, “we’re not entirely sure what neural differences exist,” says Kranzler. He also wisely notes that the Finnish people are not the only ones for whom a genetic variation affecting alcohol consumption has been identified: In the early 90s, researchers identified a mutation in the ALDH2 gene that causes many of East Asian ancestry to become flushed and feel sick after drinking even moderate amounts of alcohol, thus protecting against heavy drinking.

No matter what your genetic predisposition to alcohol tolerance may be, there are some things we can all do to ensure we stay safe and healthy (and free from hungover embarrassment). “Planning ahead is key,” says Kranzler, as is having a limit for the amount of alcohol you are willing to consume.

Related: Am I an Alcoholic? How To Tell If You’re Drinking Too Much

He recommends sticking to the standards set by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism — no more than 3 drinks for women and 4 drinks for men — and advises bringing a trusted companion with you to social events of concern, someone who can pull you aside and suggest that maybe, just maybe, you’ve had enough for the night.

“There are a lot of things that are soluble in alcohol. Unfortunately, alcohol, in addition to dissolving inhibitions, can dissolve your sense of boundaries,” Kranzler reminds us. “For some people, it just may be best not to start drinking because it’s so difficult for them to stop.”

Cheers to that.

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