Coffee is one of the beverages that we consume the most in the world and one of the main ways by which we introduce caffeine into our body. But what causes some people to need more coffee than others?
A team of researchers from the universities of Trieste (Italy) and Edinburgh (Scotland), who have just published a study on the subject in the journal Scientific Reports –of the prestigious publisher Nature–, suggests that the answer lies in our genes . And, specifically, in a gene named PDSS2 that, apparently, could influence how each of us metabolize caffeine.
The scientists carried out two studies: the first, in Italy, with 1,213 people; the second, in the Netherlands, with 1,731 Dutch. And the results were quite similar. In both cases , the genetic information of these individuals was analyzed and these data were crossed with the number of cups of coffee they consumed daily .
This is how they detected that the PDSS2 gene could play an important role in how our body metabolizes caffeine. The relationship would be inversely proportional: that is, those in whom gene expression is more active are those who tend to drink fewer cups of coffee; while those in whom this gene is weaker, are prone to consume more.
This is because PDSS2 would inhibit the functioning of other genes associated with the caffeine metabolization process, that is, it would protect it from those who want to get rid of it, so that it would remain in our body for longer – as well as its effects – and therefore we would need to drink fewer cups of coffee.
In any case, the team of scientists, led by Nicola Pirastu, a researcher at the University of Edinburgh, recognizes that “more studies are still needed to clarify the biological mechanism that links PDSS2 and coffee consumption.”
