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#Caffeine #Coffee #DNA #Genetics The amount of caffeine we drink may not be grounded in habit or lack of sleep. New research suggests that our own DNA is the biggest factor in determining whether we reach for that cup of java each morning. A new study published in PLoS Genetics found that people who carry a particular version of two specific genes were much more likely to consume caffeine. The genes identified were CYP1A2, previously linked to the metabolism of caffeine, and AHR, involved in the regulation of CYP1A2. "We know caffeine had an inherited component but for the first time we know specifically the major genes involved," said Dr. Neil Caporaso, branch chief of genetic epidemiology at the National Cancer Institute and senior investigator for the study. "Genetic studies have identified many associations with diseases, but very few for diet agents." "We have a very clear finding for two genes that are highly plausible," he continued.

#Addiction #Caffeine #CocaCola #Coffee #dependence Composition Caffeine – 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine, to give it its chemical name – is a member of a group of naturally occurring substances called methylxanthines. These compounds are similar in structure to adenosines, naturally occurring molecules in our bodies which aid the onset of sleep. In its natural context, which is in tea and coffee plants, caffeine can kill or paralyze insects and is thus an effective natural pesticide. The beginning of the buzz The earliest recorded caffeine consumers were in China in the 10th century BC, when philosophers believed tea-drinking was "an indispensable ingredient to the elixir of life". Coffee-quaffing originated in Yemen in the 15th century. The exact amount of caffeine present in a drink depends on its growing conditions and preparation. While tea naturally has more caffeine gram for gram than coffee, there is less tea per cubic centimeter of a cup, leading to its weaker