These Genes Let You Process Caffeine Faster

2016-03-16T20:57:00.000Z

Each day, the average American drinks about 300 milligrams (mg) of caffeine.

That's the amount of caffeine you'll find in about three cups of coffee.

But some people can drink more than that without feeling as jittery.

If you get a genetic test, like from 23andMe, you can find out if your genes give you this magical ability (or curse, depending on how you look at it).

The test shows you four particular gene variants that studies have shown are responsible for regulating caffeine in the body.

Here's what the results of a 23andMe test tell you about these caffeine genes.

First, some facts about caffeine. A cup of coffee has about 95 mg, while a cup of tea has 47 mg, and a bottle of soda has 44 mg.

Caffeine keeps you alert by blocking a sleep-inducing molecule in your brain. But your body eventually breaks down the caffeine with enzymes produced by the liver.

Source: Tech Insider

One of those enzymes is called CYP1A2, and it's encoded by the CYP1A2 gene.

But another gene called AHR encodes a protein that regulates the amount of CYP1A2 there is in the body.

If you have certain versions of these two genes, you can probably drink more coffee than most people. About 50% of people have the AHR caffeine variant, but only 2% of the population carries the caffeine variant for CYP1A2.

Source: GB HealthWatch

You get four shots at having a caffeine-metabolizing variant: two pairs of the genes, one set from each of your parents.

mother mom pregnant drinking coffee caffeine getty

Having four variants make the CYP1A2 enzyme very efficient at breaking down caffeine.

On average, people with all four variants normally have about 61 more mg of caffeine per day. That's about another 2/3 of a cup of coffee.

Meanwhile, if you don't have any of the four caffeine variants, you probably can't drink as much coffee.

On average, people without any of the caffeine variants drink 41 fewer mg of caffeine per day.

blurred dave_likely_consume_less_caffeine

And if you only have one variant, you still probably drink a little less caffeine.

On average, people with only one variant drink 18 fewer mg of caffeine per day.

So how should you use this information? Merely as an interesting fact, not health advice.

Your lifestyle factors and possibly other gene variants we haven't discovered yet could affect your caffeine consumption, too. But what we already know is pretty cool.

You could drink more coffee than average if you have these special bits of DNA

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Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

You could drink more coffee than average if you have these special bits of DNA

First, some facts about caffeine. A cup of coffee has about 95 mg, while a cup of tea has 47 mg, and a bottle of soda has 44 mg.

Caffeine keeps you alert by blocking a sleep-inducing molecule in your brain. But your body eventually breaks down the caffeine with enzymes produced by the liver.

One of those enzymes is called CYP1A2, and it's encoded by the CYP1A2 gene.

But another gene called AHR encodes a protein that regulates the amount of CYP1A2 there is in the body.

If you have certain versions of these two genes, you can probably drink more coffee than most people. About 50% of people have the AHR caffeine variant, but only 2% of the population carries the caffeine variant for CYP1A2.

You get four shots at having a caffeine-metabolizing variant: two pairs of the genes, one set from each of your parents.

Having four variants make the CYP1A2 enzyme very efficient at breaking down caffeine.

On average, people with all four variants normally have about 61 more mg of caffeine per day. That's about another 2/3 of a cup of coffee.

Meanwhile, if you don't have any of the four caffeine variants, you probably can't drink as much coffee.

On average, people without any of the caffeine variants drink 41 fewer mg of caffeine per day.

And if you only have one variant, you still probably drink a little less caffeine.

On average, people with only one variant drink 18 fewer mg of caffeine per day.

So how should you use this information? Merely as an interesting fact, not health advice.

Your lifestyle factors and possibly other gene variants we haven't discovered yet could affect your caffeine consumption, too. But what we already know is pretty cool.

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

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Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know