Caffeine Addicts! I’M SORRY
Coffee and chocolate.
Do you have the dangerous CYP 1A2 genes?
I bring you this news AFTER your devouring of weekend Easter eggs. I am sorry but I have to share this.
I broke my Detox this weekend and REALLY feel the coffee/chocolate hit after a month of no caffeine.
If you feel anxious after a coffee you may need to read this.
Researchers say our DNA can determine the effect coffee can have on us (Yang, 2010).
This can vary up to 40-fold between humans.
Caffeine metabolism depends on the CYP1A2 enzyme and different alleles can mean you are either a ‘fast metabolizer’ or a ‘slow metabolizer’.
If you are a slow metabolizer, like myself, you can not detoxify the caffeine through your liver and become agitated and anxious. In a study (Cornelis et al 2006), intake of caffeinated coffee was associated with increased risk of non-fatal myocardial infarction in individuals with CYP1A2 CC genotype (slow metabolizers).
There is much evidence emerging showing that caffeine can attribute to Cardiovascular disease if you have these genes.
It is easy to test these genes and can help prevent so many other diseases.
The Cornelius 2006 study, showed that if four or more cups of coffee were consumed per day there was a significant increase in risk of heart attack if the person had this CYP1A2 CC genotype.
The ‘fast metabolizers’ did not seem to have any increased risk of heart attacks.
Another study shows the ‘slow metabolizers’ of this gene have an increased chance of hypertension (high blood pressure) (Palatini 2009).
References:
Cornelis, M.C., El-Sohemy, A, Kabagambe, E.K, & Campos, H. (2006) Coffee, CyP1A2 genotype and risk of myocardial infarction. JAMA (10), 1135-1141.
Palatini, Pet al (2009) CYP1A2 genotype modifies the association between coffee intake and risk of hypertension. Journal of hypertension, 27 (8), 1594-1601
Yang, Palmer, Harriet de Wit (2010), Genetics of caffeine consumption and responses to caffeine, Phsycopharmacology, 211:245-257.
