Jews protected from alcohol by gene

Researchers have come up with a genetic reason why Jewish people typically have fewer alcohol problems than non-Jews.

The new study, published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, shows that a single gene mutation carried by more than a fifth of all Jews seems to protect them against alcoholism. The mutation is also fairly common in Asian people, but relatively rare in white Europeans.

The genetic mutation, called ADH2*2, is a variation of a gene (ADH2) that helps control how alcohol is broken down in the bloodstream. The scientists are not sure how ADH2*2 protects against alcoholism, but they believe that it may increase levels of the chemical acetaldehyde, a by-product of the metabolism of alcohol. High levels of the chemical cause headaches, nausea and flushing.

The researchers studied the relationship between the gene mutation and alcohol consumption among 68 Israeli Jews aged between 22 and 65. They found that the people with the gene mutation were far less likely to have suffered alcohol dependence, were likely to consume less alcohol, or to suffer worse side-effects if they did.