Genes May Be Reason For Jews' Low Alcoholism Rate

Ananova ^ | 9-17-2002

[blam]

Genes may be reason for Jews' low alcoholism rate

Genes, and not religious conviction, explain why Jewish people typically have fewer drink problems than non-Jews.

Researchers in the US say a genetic mutation carried by at least a fifth of Jews appears to protect against alcoholism.

The same inherited trait is fairly common in Asian people, but is much rarer in white Europeans.

The Daily Telegraph says the findings could help explain why Israel has one of the lowest levels of alcoholism in the developed world.

The mutation, called ADH2*2, is involved in the way the body breaks down alcohol in the bloodstream.

Scientists are unsure exactly how it protects against alcoholism, but it is thought to increase levels of the toxic chemical acetaldehyde - a by-product of alcohol metabolism. At high levels, acetaldehyde causes headaches, nausea and flushing.

Almost all white Europeans lack the ADH2*2 variation and so produce less of the by-product. Thus drinking tends to be more pleasurable, increasing the risks of alcoholism.

The new study, published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, looked at the relationship between the gene variant and alcoholism among 75 Israeli Jews aged 22 to 65.

The study's author, Dr Deborah Hasin, from Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, said: "This finding adds to the growing body of evidence that this genetic variation has a protective effect against alcoholism among Jewish groups."

Story filed: 08:34 Tuesday 17th September 2002

[blam]

I don't know any Jewish people. But, I had a Jewish doctor once who was quick to point out that 'Jews' (Jewish) was a religion and not a race. So...which is it?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I don't drink because I get horrible hangovers. I must be Jewish and not even know it.

[dfwgator]

There is no such thing as a Jewish race. There are however several races that have the Jewish religion, just as there are many different races that are Christian, Muslim, etc. There are Arab (Muslim) Semites and Jewish Semites, so technically the term "anti-Semite" if meant to be "anti-Jewish" makes no sense. I have always thought that the term anti-Semitic is too soft of a term, let's call it what it really is, anti-Jewish.

[RobRoy]

It's both.

BTW, this is one reason why Christians are admonished to look to themselves and not judge others. After all, if I have no desire to be homosexual, am I better than a homosexual man. No. Now if I am homosexual (in my wiring, that is) and yet consider it wrong and control myself, then I am better than other homosexuals who don't control it, as well as heterosexuals that "sleep around" (at least in that one area).

Everyone is struggling with doing the right thing, at least to one degree or another. Some are more moral than others, but often that is merely because they were taught the importance of it to the point where they "take ownership" of the belief and it becomes part of their world view. The person who was not taught such things may not be a good preacher, but he could actually be MORE MORAL, relative to what he was taught.

To put it bluntly, it's better to be a one quart person producing one quart of value than a gallon person producing 1/2 gallon of value.

This whole thing hints at the concept of eternal life being the free gift of God, not based on your own attemts to be good and earn it, lest you could boast and be proud of that salvation.

It sure frees you to try to do the right thing without fear that your eternity depends on it. It keeps us from "choking."

[NativeNewYorker]

We're a "race" in the sense of having a relatively insular gene pool.

We're a religion in the dictionary sense.

I simply fall asleep after a couple of drinks.

Not that it stops me. :)

[Lurking Libertarian]

There are Arab (Muslim) Semites and Jewish Semites, so technically the term "anti-Semite" if meant to be "anti-Jewish" makes no sense. I have always thought that the term anti-Semitic is too soft of a term, let's call it what it really is, anti-Jewish.

The word "anti-Semite" was coined in the 19th century by an anti-Jewish German scientist, who wanted a "scientific" term to replace "Jew-hater."

[blam]

This is usually enough for me too

[hgro]

They don't drink it, they sell it!

[NativeNewYorker]

From your profile page:

I live South of Mobile, Alabama...I live in the woods (385 acres all wooded) on a 17 acre lake with my four dogs...

And then you post:

I don't know any Jewish people.

You can understand why (no kidding) I shot the matzoh ball soup out my nose when I read your post. :^)

[blam]

"You can understand why (no kidding) I shot the matzoh ball soup out my nose when I read your post. :^)"

LOL. I didn't always live in the woods though. Here is my dad's (bless his soul) description of Mobile: "Owned by the Jews, run by the Catholics and enjoyed by the -------" (They don't make'm like him any more.)

[wardaddy]

It's an identity based on a monotheistic religion, shared culture, and matriarchial lineage.

[wardaddy]

Excellent choice!

[Redcloak]

I had a Jewish doctor once who was quick to point out that 'Jews' (Jewish) was a religion and not a race. So...which is it?

It's both, to a large extent.

(Though it should be remembered that we abuse the term "race". Humans, at the genetic level, are almost identical. What we call races are no more than minor variations. An example of a truly different race would be the Neanderthal. They were more different from us than, for example, Europeans and Polynesians are from one another. However, there is evidence that they could produce fertile offspring with Modern Humans and thus were not a separate species. Applying the word "race" to Jews, Africans, Asians, or any other group is misleading.)

It is a religion dominated by members of a particular ethnic group. It's members tend not to be converts, but rather are following the religious teachings of their parents. Thus the religion is passed down within the group's families. And one would then expect to see other traits, such as this mutation or the mutation for Tay-Sachs passed along through this same lineage.

[blam]

Read this book by Ian Tattersall for a complete understanding of extinct humans.

[agrace]

It is both. Historically there were twelve tribes of Israel, named for each son of Jacob (renamed Israel), and their descendants made up each tribe. Judah was one of them, and the term "Jew" is derived from his name. Many of the descendants of the tribes have been lost or were assimulated into other cultures over time. Modern Jews may not necessarily be from the tribe of Judah but the term Jew is today used as a general term for all.

That being said, Jews are also those who practice Judaism. One can convert to Judaism and be called a Jew yet have no known genetic link to the line of Judah.

[Brush_Your_Teeth]

I don't know any Jewish people. But, I had a Jewish doctor once who was quick to point out that 'Jews' (Jewish) was a religion and not a race. So...which is it?

I know many jews here in NYC and some consider it a race and a religion and some just a religion. It stems out of the fact that jews do not convert others to judisam the way christians do.

[blam]

Go Here for a quick Three Minute History

[LostTribe]

>There is no such thing as a Jewish race.

Rather than take up a lot bandwidth, please click on my LostTribe Profile and check out the 3-MINUTE HISTORY.

[Salman]

I don't know any Jewish people. But, I had a Jewish doctor once who was quick to point out that 'Jews' (Jewish) was a religion and not a race. So...which is it?

I suspect this study is of Jews of central or eastern European descent and didn't include Ethiopeans, Jews from Arab countries, converted Indians, etc.

One trait (or a handful of traits) in a somewhat inbred lineage does not make a "race". I'm still not convinced the alcoholism thing isn't cultural, though.