Study Finds Genetic Link To Hangovers

Barrel fever. The brown bottle flu. A bad case of the night before. No matter what you call the parade of aches, pains, nausea, exhaustion and irritability that follows a night of heavy drinking; there's nothing quite like a bad hangover to make you seriously question your fitness as a responsible adult. But the next time you get hold of a bad ice cube and wake up the next morning, red-eyed and bushy-tongued, take comfort from knowing that your parents deserve at least some of the blame for your pounding headache, dry mouth, and fluttering bowels; because, even though you committed the crime, your DNA plays a large part in how you do the time.

In a survey conducted by researchers from the University of Missouri, 2000 sets of twins from the Australian Twin Registry were asked about how often they drank to intoxication, and the frequency of their hangovers. By limiting the survey to twins, researchers hoped to examine the links between the number of hangovers each respondent reported having, and their genetic makeup. Results of the survey suggested that 45% of the variation in hangover frequency among men, and 40% of the variation in hangover frequency among women, are directly attributable to genetic factors; meaning that an individual's susceptibility of experiencing a hangover is significantly influenced by genetic makeup. Thus two genetically dissimilar adults of equal size, age, and fitness consuming the same quantity of alcohol over the same period of time will suffer the “high costs of low living” differently.

The results are not surprising, given the number of different physiological mechanisms involved with hangovers; one of which is the metabolization of ethanol into acetaldehyde, a substance that is actually more toxic than the alcohol itself. In the majority of the population, acetaldehyde is quickly converted into acetate (chemically similar to vinegar) by the enzymes acetaldehyde dehydrogenase and glutathione. However, for a small percentage of Asians, levels of acetaldehyde quickly spike after drinking—a result of their livers metabolizing alcohol faster than the rest of the population. But many Asians also lack the enzymes for breaking down acetaldehyde, resulting in heightened concentrations for longer intervals after drinking; which, in turn, causes them to feel “rougher than a badger’s ass” despite not actually experiencing the euphoria of intoxication. Many scientists have long considered acetaldehyde the primary suspect in causing hangovers, and Asian Acetaldehyde Toxicity Syndrome (also known as Asian Flush Syndrome) strongly indicates that an individual’s genes play a large role in their propensity to suffer from “the morning tremblies”.

What is surprising about the University of Missouri study, is that researchers found that respondents with the gene variants responsible for increased hangover susceptibility tended to overindulge more frequently than others. In other words, the genetic predisposition that may cause a person to get “katzenjammered” more frequently, may also play a role in how often that person gets “overserved”. This result may play an important role in future studies of alcohol addiction. Wendy Slutske, the University of Missouri psychology professor who lead the study, explains, “We have demonstrated that susceptibility to hangovers has a genetic underpinning. This may be another clue to the genetics of alcoholism.”

Additional factors contributing to hangovers include the rate of alcohol consumption, as well as the kind of alcohol consumed; both of which are entirely your fault.