Eyes are the window to the soul, but who would’ve thought they could reveal your risk for alcoholism? According to a new study conducted by the University of Vermont published in the American Journal of Medical Genetics, people with light-colored eyes, especially blue, have a higher risk for alcoholism. Shocking, right? The group of scientists followed nearly 1,300 Americans with European ancestry. What they found was that individuals with light eyes (blue, green, hazel, grey) were more likely to become alcoholics than those with dark brown eyes. Here’s the interesting part: The genes that determine our eye color are related to how much alcohol we consume, but just how much the two are related is the real mystery.
Research shows that while Whites and Native Americans have a greater risk for alcohol use disorders compared to other ethnic groups, Blacks have higher rates of recurrent or persistent dependence once alcohol dependence occurs. Also, the consequences of drinking appear to be greater for Blacks and other minorities.
It’s important to point out that this isn’t the first time scientists have researched the link between eye color and alcohol dependency. Back in 2000, a Georgia State University study found that light-eyed females consumed more alcohol than brown-eyed females.
Of course, if you have blue or light-colored eyes, there is no need to freak out as there is still a lot more research required for scientists to be able to link eye color to alcoholism. Lead researcher Arvis Sulovari had the following to say in a press release:
“We still don’t know the reason. This suggests an intriguing possibility – that eye color can be useful in the clinic for alcohol dependence diagnosis. It’s definitely not the silver bullet for solving the problem of alcohol dependency, but it’s a start.”
He adds: “I think many people don’t realize that there is genetic background to it. This is a mental illness, not just something that comes from excessive drinking, and there needs to be more of an effort to find out about it.”
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