Are you an alcoholic? Check out Your Ethnic Makeup toUnderstand the Health Risk

Alcohol consumption is fast becoming a global social practice despite its well established adverse health effects. The extent of adverse effects primarily depends on ethnicity and genetic makeup. The adverse effect is mainly due to two important enzymes, namely alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), which are responsible for metabolism of alcohol and acetaldehyde respectively to harless acetic acid. The extent of these two enzymes decide how different populations process alcohol. Variations in the genes encoding ADH enzymes are known to differ across ethnic groups, leading to diverse physiological responses to alcohol consumption and varying risks of alcohol-related diseases. This article brings forth the change in cultural landscape in today’s society, the relationship between ADH genetic polymorphisms and ethnicity, and the implications for alcohol metabolism and health outcomes.

Dr. Gyanasyam Bez.pdf

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