Excess alcohol intake can irreversibly change DNA

It is common knowledge that excessive alcohol consumption is bad for health. But the assumption that all the damage can be set right after a person stops drinking is not true, according to researchers from NIMHANS.

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Excessive alcohol consumption can cause irreversible changes to the DNA and these can persist even when alcohol is no longer consumed, revealed a study conducted by a team of researchers at NIMHANS.

The study has been published online in the American Journal of Medical Genetics.

The study tracked patients at NIMHANS’ Centre for Addiction Medicine outpatient clinic from March 2015 to April 2016.

Although we inherit genes from our parents, their expression is regulated in a unique manner in each person, and may be influenced by their lifestyle. Exposure to alcohol affects the pattern of gene expression, and may explain some of the systemic complications.

Researchers analysed the DNA chemistry of individuals who had been drinking on an average of 10 drinks/day.