Are you one of those people who can’t function without that first cup of coffee in the morning? Is caffeine addiction the source of your frequent headaches? Why are some people able to wake up fresh every morning without even a sip of coffee? Recent studies suggest that coffee addiction could be in your genes.

A recent study revealed that people with certain genes  are more likely to suffer intense coffee cravings than others who don’t naturally crave caffeine.

• In this US study, scientists from the Harvard School of Public Health examined the DNA and dietary habits of 45,00 participants; this study is one of the first to attempt to find a link between food cravings and genetic makeup.
• Two genes, CYP1A2 and AHR, were found to have a high correlation with food cravings for caffeinated substances such as coffee, tea, chocolate and cola; both genes are instrumental in the breaking down of caffeine in the liver.
• Researcher Neil Caporaso had this to say about the connection between the two genes and coffee addiction:  ”…using new technology, what we showed for the first time is that (the CYP1A2 gene) appears responsible for the inherited differences in how people drink coffee.”
• People who break down caffeine quicker than others require more to keep the same “coffee buzz” going.  Individuals who lack the CYP1A2 and AHR genes are able to stop at one cup of coffee, while those who are genetically inclined need increasingly higher doses of caffeine in order to stay alert and avoid coffee headaches, a sign of coffee addiction.
• Many coffee addicts drink 40mg of caffeine more in one day than individuals who don’t have the coffee addiction genes, equaling about 1/3 of a cup of coffee or one extra can of caffeinated cola.

Like this? Also Read: Can Caffeine Cause Migraines in Women?

Sources:
Fox News, Healthland, WebMD, Daily Mail, Harvard School of Public Health

Tags: caffeine addiction, coffee addiction genes, coffee cravings genes, coffee genes, cup of coffee, Harvard School of Public Health, headaches coffee

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