Alcohol and Genetic Advantage

[Drewcifer]

Something I was thinking about today: it is well known that certain genes predispose a person towards alcoholism.

Different cultures tend to have differing attitudes towards alcohol and differing consumption patterns. A popular stereotype about the peoples of the European side of the Mediterranean is that they tend to drink regularly but moderately and frown upon excessive consumption. On the Arab side of the Mediterranean it is disaproved of in general. The drinking reputation of places like Russia, Scandinavia, Britain and Ireland is that they love the stuff and tend towards heavy binges. Is it possible that binge drinking style alcoholism at some point provided a genetic advantage in cold northerly places?

 

[Bluemofia]

My dad made me take a sip of alcohol when I was 7 for the experience and I wanted to do this:

It was horrible! I don't understand how people can even stand the taste of it. But , my dad's side was one that drinks moderately, and my mom drinks, but it's like the once a month kind of drink. And I ended up hating the thing all togeather.

 

[Perfection]

While there is a greater tendancy toward alcoholism in Northern lattitudes, it's probobly more reflective of seasonal depression than anything genetic.

 

[carlosMM]

The drinking reputation of places like Russia, Scandinavia, Britain and Ireland it that they love the stuff and tend towards heavy binges. Is it possible that binge drinking style alcoholism at some point provided a genetic advantage in cold northerly places?

There's several ways of making crops stay edible for a long time - one of them is turning them into alcoholic beverages like beer. SO the ability to often drink low quantities of alcohol must have been an advantage for a long while (btw, Asian cultures use other methods, like making a dough, turning it into noodles, then drying them, so it is no wonder Asians do not tolaerte alcohol well - they didn't have any evolutionary pressure to be able to tolerate it).

 

[Winner]

Maybe in Central-Eastern and Eastern Europe. But more likely is it caused by totalitarian regimes. People were so depressed, that the only possible way how to enjoy themselves was to drink

There is clear axis from Paris to Berlin, Prague, Bratislava, Kyjev and Moscow, on which the alcoholism increase

 

[WickedSmurf]

Pah, I only drink 3-4 days/week.