On November 28, researchers have argued that they have identified a gene which triggers drinking. This new study can explain why so many people like alcohol so much, while others know how to stop drinking when a certain limit is reached. This gene is referred to as beta-Klotho, and it is responsible for behaving like a pause button when someone is drinking alcohol.
- Scientists try to raise awareness stating that alcohol addiction is not an insignificant issue.
- A lot of people die because of several diseases triggered by heavy alcohol intakes.
Scientists have studied this theory in mice. They have tested them by providing a certain amount of alcohol to those who were deprived of this gene. Mice which did not have the gene in their body have chosen to drink much more than mice which had an unmodified system. After analyzing statistics which consisted of data coming from 100,000 Europeans, specialists revealed that people who had beta-Klotho used to drink less.
Dr. David Mangelsdorf of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center has asserted that this particular gene varied in those who liked to drink alcohol compared to those individuals who were used to drink less. Approximately 42% of the people included in the study proved that they had the version of beta-Klotho which determined them to drink less.
This type of beta-Klotho had a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) which triggered it to induce the idea of drinking less than normal. The SNP was the only one which established the difference between the two versions of the gene. Dr. Mangelsdorf believes that this discovery could help the field of medicine. Scientists will not only be able to come up with better treatments to cure alcoholism, but they will also be able to develop plan treatments for other types of illnesses which can derive from too much drinking.
Currently, there exists no cure for those are addicted to alcohol, helping them to suppress their drinking habit. People need to be aware that this is not a small problem. Studies have demonstrated that excessive intakes of alcohol became a global issue. Back in 2012, this addiction caused approximately 3.3 million deaths. The new study was recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, trying to raise awareness for all those who believe that this bad habit could not affect them.
The alcohol addiction can develop high risks of different forms of cancer, including liver cancer, heart illnesses, and breast cancer. Based on the statistics created by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, approximately 140 million American citizens drink alcohol.
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