Drinking and your body
What do family and medical histories mean for how drinking affects you?
Your family and medical histories can have a real impact on how drinking affects you, versus other people. Here are three things to keep in mind.
What you will learn
- The role of genes in how alcohol affects you
- What your medical history says about risk
- How families can influence your drinking
- Going forward: guidance and resources
- Key takeaways
Some people inherit genetic traits that can make them more susceptible to the effects of drinking alcohol (1, 2)
If you’ve inherited these genes, you may be less able to eliminate the toxic molecules that are produced when your body breaks down the alcohol you drink (3). As these toxic substances build up, your face may become flushed and you may feel ill and dizzy. If your drinking is excessive, having these genes may also increase your chance of developing other health issues over time. This genetic variant is most common among people of Chinese, Japanese and Korean origin (4).
What do family and medical histories mean for how drinking affects you?
Did you know?
Developing ‘alcoholism’ involves more than just family history: it’s a complex interaction between genes and environment.
Your medical history influences how alcohol affects you
Your medical history and health status play an important role in how drinking affects you. Some health conditions, including high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat (5) and liver disease (6) can be made worse by drinking alcohol. Drinking heavily over long periods of time can also increase your chances of developing some of these conditions.
People who suffer from anxiety or mood disorders may increase their likelihood of developing Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) if they drink excessively (7, 8). And drinking too much on a regular basis may weaken your immune system (9).
A family history of alcohol abuse may increase your own risk
In some families, AUD, which includes dependence, is passed down from generation to generation (10-12). But developing ‘alcoholism’ involves more than just family history: it’s a complex interaction between genes and environment (1, 13). This relationship is different for each person.
If you believe someone in your family has AUD, or you’re concerned that your own drinking may be problematic, the best approach is to consult a health professional who can help assess your risk.
Family relationships may increase your risk of drinking problems. People who grow up in families with a history of alcohol abuse, domestic violence or child neglect, and/or where interpersonal relationships are difficult, may be at greater risk of abusing alcohol (14, 15) . Drinking heavily and frequently can be a coping strategy and may turn into a problem.
But family relationships are also one of the strongest protective factors against problem drinking
A supportive and involved family with open communication, particularly between parents and children (16), can help prevent problem drinking and instill healthy lifestyle choices and behaviours.
Key takeaways:
Genetic factors mean your body may not break down alcohol as well as others.
Alcohol can worsen some existing conditions, or raise your risk of getting them.
Families can influence problem drinking but can also help support each other.
Going forward
If you are worried about your drinking, speak to a health professional to discuss your medical history, and get help understanding your risks.
Helpful resources
- Get help caring for someone with alcohol misuse issues https://carers.org/
References
- Bierut, L.J., et al., A genome-wide association study of alcohol dependence. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2010. 107(11): p. 5082-7.
- Edenberg, H.J., The genetics of alcohol metabolism: role of alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase variants. Alcohol Res Health, 2007. 30(1): p. 5-13.
- Whitfield, J.B., ADH and ALDH genotypes in relation to alcohol metabolic rate and sensitivity. Alcohol Alcohol Suppl, 1994. 2: p. 59-65.
- Iwahashi, K. and H. Suwaki, Ethanol metabolism, toxicity and genetic polymorphism. Addict Biol, 1998. 3(3): p. 249-59.
- Gardner, J.D. and A.J. Mouton, Alcohol effects on cardiac function. Compr Physiol, 2015. 5(2): p. 791-802.
- Seitz, H.K., et al., Alcoholic liver disease. Nat Rev Dis Primers, 2018. 4(1): p. 16.
- Palmisano, M. and S.C. Pandey, Epigenetic mechanisms of alcoholism and stress-related disorders. Alcohol, 2017. 60: p. 7-18.
- McHugh, R.K. and R.D. Weiss, Alcohol use disorder and depressive disorders. Alcohol Research, 2019. 40(1): p. arcr.v40.1.01.
- Barr, T., et al., Opposing effects of alcohol on the immune system. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry, 2016. 65: p. 242-51.
- Cservenka, A., Neurobiological phenotypes associated with a family history of alcoholism. Drug Alcohol Depend, 2016. 158: p. 8-21
- Stickel, F., et al., The genetics of alcohol dependence and alcohol-related liver disease. J Hepatol, 2017. 66(1): p. 195-211
- Sanchez-Roige, S., A.A. Palmer, and T.K. Clarke, Recent Efforts to Dissect the Genetic Basis of Alcohol Use and Abuse. Biol Psychiatry, 2020. 87(7): p. 609-618.
- Edenberg, H.J., J. Gelernter, and A. Agrawal, Genetics of Alcoholism. Curr Psychiatry Rep, 2019. 21(4): p. 26.
- Dragan, M. and J. Hardt, Childhood adversities and risk for problematic alcohol use. Addict Behav, 2016. 59: p. 65-71.
- Fenton, M.C., et al., Combined role of childhood maltreatment, family history, and gender in the risk for alcohol dependence. Psychological Medicine, 2013. 43(5): p. 1045-1057.
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Parenting to prevent childhood alcohol use. 2020; Available from:
