Coffee Might Just Be In Your Genes

The difference between someone who sips one cup of coffee in the morning and those who drink an entire pot before noon is genetic, according to a study published Tuesday in the journal “Molecular Psychiatry.”

Harvard researcher Marilyn Cornelis and her team of scientists found six genes that, along with two earlier discovered genes, determine how we react to caffeine.

The study provides insight on why some people feel happy and energized after drinking a venti latte, while others feel nauseous after their first cup of joe. She hopes that the research could shed some light on why coffee have positive health effects for some people, and not others.

“We assume everybody reacts to one cup of coffee the same way. Our data says that is not true.”

Overall, the new genes explain about 1.3 percent of coffee-drinking habits, which is significant, meaning genes that influence coffee consumption are at least strong as those that influence how we react to alcohol and cigarettes.

Cornelis’ interest in coffee is limited to research, however.

“I don’t consume coffee. I don’t like the taste of it.”