Alcohol Metabolism Genetic Test - ALDH2 and ADH1B - Gene Food

Alcohol + Gene Food Diet Type

$229One-time price. No subscription.
1
Included with Basic

Ever wonder why you don’t feel well after drinking? It could be due to a genetic inability to metabolize acetaldehyde, the toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism.

  • CLIA-Certified Lab
  • Personalized DNA insights
  • Data Never Sold

What You'll Learn

  • Tests for important alcohol metabolism genes, including ADH1B and ALDH2
  • Data is 100% confidential and secure
  • Personalized nutrition recommendations
  • Learn your Gene Food diet type
Alcohol metabolism report

Learn how your body metabolizes alcohol

In individuals with alcohol sensitivity, the process of alcohol metabolism is less efficient, resulting in the accumulation of a harmful substance known as acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde can exert various effects on the body, including the dilation of blood vessels. When this dilation occurs in facial blood vessels, it can lead to increased blood circulation and contribute to symptoms such as facial flushing. The Gene Food Alcohol metabolism test examines key genetic markers involved in the conversion of alcohol to acetaldehyde so users can better understand how they deal with the toxic byproducts of drinking alcohol.

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Alcohol metabolism report example
Illustrative report example, not your personal results.
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The best DNA diet app
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Carbs are GOOD
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“Once I went back to carbs (based on the Okinawa diet) and quit the whole 30/paleo diet as well as any attempts at Keto or low-carb, my weight stopped rising, and actually started to go down (and I didn’t even follow the Okinawa diet very strictly, and did no caloric restriction)!”

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Diet Types

Twenty unique diet types, where will you fit?

Gene Food uses a proprietary algorithm to divide customers into one of twenty unique diet types based on dietary fat metabolism, ApoE status, carbohydrate response, histamine, and ability to digest lactose. Where will you fit?

West Angeleno

Healthy fats from whole foods, whole grains, fresh over leftovers, and two plant-based days a week.

Low carb, high fat

Wayoan

Plant-based and low-fat. Meat as a condiment, most dairy out, calories from complex carbs, wild fish for protein.

Macrobiotic template

Lean Machine

Whole grains and plant fats, no dairy, protein mostly from plants with wild fish to hold muscle.

Whole grains, plant fats

Villager

Low-fat, whole-food and plant-based. No oil, fresh over aged foods, calories from complex carbohydrates.

Low glycemic, low fat

Okinawan

Fiber-rich complex carbs make up most calories; saturated fat kept low, no seed oils, animal protein as a condiment.

High carb, very low fat

Vegetarian

Plants first with fish in the rotation. Complex carbs for calories, olive oil only, fresh foods to keep histamine down.

High carb, low fat

Urban Grazer

Robust genes, few restrictions. Whole grains, healthy fats, plant proteins, no dairy or processed meat.

Balanced, few limits

Hunter Gatherer

Omega-3s over saturated fat, low-glycemic carbs, mostly plant protein, and fresh foods to keep histamine in check.

Low glycemic, higher protein

Find your diet type
Purchase GeneFood

Find out how your body actually handles carbs

Low-carb works for some people and backfires for others. In the PREDICT-1 trial, genetics accounted for nearly half of the variation in how much blood sugar rose two hours after a meal. Our CLIA-certified test scores your carbohydrate response across multiple validated SNPs, matches you to one of 20 diet types, and turns it into a plan: the carbs that suit you, the ones to limit, and a two-week meal plan built around them.

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Frequently asked questions

Understanding how your body metabolizes alcohol can help you make informed choices about whether to consume alcohol, and if you do drink, where to set limits.

Alcohol metabolism breaks into three camps genetically:

  • Fast acetaldehyde production. The "T" allele of rs1229984 in the ADH1B gene accelerates the conversion of ethanol into acetaldehyde such that acetaldehyde levels get higher faster after drinking.
  • Facial flushing. Others have a functional variant in ALDH2 rs671, which impairs the body’s ability to metabolize acetaldehyde ("A" is the risk allele). This leads to the build up of acetaldehyde in the bloodstream, resulting in facial flushing.
  • "Normal" metabolism. Some of us have "normal alcohol metabolism." We don't rapidly convert ethanol into acetaldehyde, and are able to metabolize it when levels rise. This is the "C" allele for rs1229984. The risk of certain cancers is elevated in this population when they regularly consume alcohol.

Those of us who carry variants associated with poor short term alcohol metabolism are less likely to drink because the way alcohol is metabolized in the short term makes the process less enjoyable.

Interestingly, disulfiram, a medication used to treat alcohol use disorders, modifies alcohol metabolism in a way that causes an accumulation of acetaldehyde when an individual consumes alcohol.

Our research scientists wavered on whether to list "T" or "C" as the risk allele for rs1229984. It's clear that "T" carriers have a more rapid conversion of ethanol into acetaldehyde, whereas those who have at least one copy of the "C" allele "handle" alcohol better in the short term. The "T" allele is actually protective against alcoholism, but the "C" allele carries greater risk for several types of cancer.

Why?

"T" carriers for rs1229984 get immediate negative feedback when drinking. Cancer risk for the "C" allele is higher for the opposite reason - these are the genotypes who can drink socially with less consequence.

Even though the "C" allele has better short term ethanol metabolism, the "greater tolerance" makes it more likely carriers will drink to a place where it harms their health.

This report is included with the Basic Gene Food DNA test, alongside your diet type and core nutrition reports. Current kit pricing is shown above.

Like all our tests, the Alcohol metabolism report is a simple cheek swab test. A self-addressed return envelope is included with the test kit, as are detailed instructions for taking the test. The swab sample is sent to our CLIA-certified laboratory in Houston, where the sequencing occurs.