Genetics can influence a lot about our behaviour, from a love of alcohol to wandering eyes to how much we enjoy exercising.
Edinburgh University researchers have discovered that DNA can determine whether someone loves alcohol, and even which tipple it is.
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Ife Taiwo, Claire Dunwell, and Ife Taiwo share their insights on what traits you might have inherited. . .
Coffee is a crutch
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If you struggle to function without a caffeine boost, it may be genetics.
According to a study published in Scientific Reports, the PDSS2 gene is responsible for people drinking less coffee.
They were believed to need less coffee to feel alert and happy than their caffeine-dependent counterparts.
Your roaming eye has been detected
One study found that sons of promiscuous dads have twice the likelihood to cheat.
A study on zebra finches published by Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences revealed that some males are more likely to have zebra finches. “playboy gene”A variant of the thrill-seeking DRD4 gene.
They took the “nurture”Participate in the study by placing eggs in the nests of foster-parent birds.
If the genetic parents had shown “extra mating behaviour”So did their offspring.
You loathe the gym
HOW many times have you heard that exercise makes you feel good – but you just don’t get it?
If you’re lacking motivation when it comes to exercise, perhaps you can’t help it.
Research by the University of Georgia suggests that some of us might have a gene that inhibits the release of exercise-triggered Dopamine, which is the feel-good hormone.
Another study, published in Medicine & Science In Sports & Exercise, found that roughly 25 per cent of us has a genetic trait that slows the production or re-absorption of exercise-related dopamine, making working out an unrewarding task.
You can’t sleep
NO matter what sleep hacks you try, you simply can’t get a full night’s kip?
This could come from your mother.
A study by the University of Warwick revealed that children with insomniac mothers don’t sleep as long or as deeply. However, if your dad is suffering from insomnia, it does not have the same effect.
Further evidence shows that we might be genetically predisposed to being morning larks or night owls – with researchers finding that there are 351 spots of your genetic make-up that can influence our waking and sleeping habits.
You have a high threshold for pain
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REDHEADS didn’t just inherit their ginger locks from their parents – they also tolerate pain better than blondes and brunettes.
Researchers at Aalborg University in Denmark administered capsaicin to their subjects. The active component of chilli was found to be more tolerated by redheads than the discomfort of a pinprick.
However, different research suggests that the world’s redheads – two per cent of the population – are more sensitive to cold and less responsive to injected forms of anaesthetic.
You have a sweet tooth
IF you can’t resist sugary snacks, it may not be about willpower alone.
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark found that people who have one of two FGF21 variants were 20% more likely to develop a sweet tooth.
They also discovered that people with low body fat naturally have the same genetic variation.
Be careful when you eat three dozen doughnuts at once. People who are overweight or obese are more likely to have high blood pressure and a larger waist.
You hate garlic
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WHILE it has long been assumed that upbringing determines our love or hate of foods, researchers at King’s College London found a strong connection between personal taste and genes.
They studied the eating patterns of more than 3,000 twins and found that identical ones – who share 100 per cent of their genes – were more likely to prefer eating the same foods than non-identical twins, whose genetic make-up is more like ordinary siblings.
However, environmental factors and the possibility of trying out new things can influence your preferences.