Gene found that lets you hold your drink RESEARCHERS believe they have discovered two genes which...

Published Date: 20 July 2008 RESEARCHERS believe they have discovered two genes which allow people to hold their drink. Carriers of one or both genes can process alcohol through the body quickly. One effect is that it halves the chance of developing mouth, throat and oesophageal cancer. However, only a minority of people in the UK have the genes. They belong to the ADH range, which everyone has two of – one inherited from each parent – but just 15% to 20% have ADH7, while 5% have ADH8, which both combat the detrimental health effects of drinking. The study of 9,000 people in the UK, including residents of Edinburgh, has been published in the journal Nature Genetics. Professor Martin Wiseman, medical and scientific adviser to the World Cancer Research Fund, which helped to finance the study, said: "We don't know how the... [read full story]