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Genetic Alcoholism: Understanding Family History of Alcoholism

Medically reviewed by
Dr. Po Chang Hsu
February 3, 2025
Written by

On February 3, 2025

Alcoholism, or an alcohol addiction, is a pattern of drinking that includes compulsive behaviors and physical alcohol dependence. The official term for alcoholism is alcohol use disorder (AUD) in the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), which can have many causes – including a genetic predisposition.

Research indicates that there is a 50% chance of being predisposed to alcoholism if you have a family history.[1] However, many factors come into play, including social, emotional, and psychological factors.

Key Points

  • Genetic factors and a family history of alcoholism can increase the risk of developing an alcohol use disorder by 50-60%.
  • Genetics is only part of the equation, however, and trauma, social pressures, and mental health conditions are among the other factors that contribute to alcoholism risk.
  • Research has identified specific genes that are associated with alcohol metabolism and addiction risk, but they only indicate a predisposition.
  • If you have a family history of alcoholism, it’s important to engage in responsible alcohol use to prevent an addiction from developing.

Is Alcoholism Genetic?

Genes are the basic unit of heredity passed from parent to child, with one copy from each parent amounting to over 20,000 genes in the body.[2] They’re made up of sequences of DNA that contain instructions for making a particular protein. Genes determine a lot of traits, including eye color, hair color, height, and susceptibility to certain diseases – including alcoholism and patterns of alcohol consumption.

Alcohol addiction can have a genetic component. If you have a lot of family members with alcoholism, particularly immediate family like parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, it could put you at an increased risk of problems with alcohol use.

However, there’s no “alcoholism gene,” nor does a family history of alcoholism mean you’ll have a problem with alcohol. Multiple genes and other factors play roles in whether you develop an alcohol addiction, including the ADH1B and ALDH2 genes, which researchers have identified as genes that affect how the body metabolizes alcohol.[3] In addition, some people metabolize alcohol less efficiently, such as people of Asian descent.

In studies using adopted children, the participants were revealed to be more likely to develop alcoholism if their biological parents had problems with alcohol – not their adoptive parents.[4] If their adoptive parents had problems with alcohol, they weren’t as likely to have problems with alcohol themselves. This may indicate that genetic factors have a powerful influence on future alcohol addiction.

Is Alcoholism Genetic?

Does Genetics Increase the Risk of Alcohol Addiction?

Based on genetic studies into alcohol addiction, genetics are believed to increase the risk by 50% to 60%.[5] However, genetics aren’t the sole factor in alcoholism. The environment and individual factors also play a role in influencing behavior.

There also isn’t a single gene that determines alcoholism. Genes can influence alcohol addiction in the following ways:[6]

  • How alcohol is metabolized
  • How the effects of alcohol are experienced
  • The severity and duration of alcohol withdrawal symptoms
  • The impact of alcohol on the body’s organ systems

Genetics can affect how alcoholism is treated as well. Naltrexone can be an effective medication for alcohol withdrawal, but genetic factors influence how well certain people respond to it.

What Causes Alcoholism?

Genetics make up who we are but are not the only factors. The environment helps to shape our personality, identity, thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and decisions. Because of that, people with a genetic predisposition for alcoholism may never develop a problem, while people with no family history of alcoholism may develop an alcohol addiction because of other factors like trauma, mental health conditions, or social experiences.

Some of the known risk factors for alcohol addiction include:[7]

  • Poor social skills
  • Childhood trauma
  • Poverty
  • Lack of parental supervision
  • Aggression in childhood
  • Substance abuse and experimentation
  • Peer pressure and social groups
  • Exposure to violence, either directly or secondhand
  • The availability of alcohol

The causes of alcoholism are multifaceted. Genetics is only part of it, and not just the specific genes identified that relate to alcohol. Additional genetic factors, such as genetics that influence mental health conditions like anxiety or depression, can increase the risk of alcohol abuse and other substance use disorders as co-occurring disorders.

Understanding Fetal Alcohol Use Disorders

If a woman uses a substance while pregnant, such as cocaine or opioids, the baby can be born with a full addiction and go through withdrawal. While alcohol is a highly addictive substance, women who drink alcohol during pregnancy don’t have babies who are born with alcohol use disorder.[8] However, prenatal alcohol exposure can cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), which include lifelong physical, behavioral, and cognitive impairments.

Babies can be born with the hereditary components that increase the genetic risk of alcohol addiction, however. But like other genetic factors, it’s not a guarantee of alcoholism. Other factors in the environment and social circles will shape behavior.

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Can You Test for Genetic Alcoholism?

Research into the genetic components of alcohol addiction is new. Some genetic testing can identify a hereditary predisposition to substance use disorders like alcohol use disorder, however. For example, using genetic testing, the Indiana University School of Medicine identified 11 genes that are reliable indicators of AUD.[9] These genes are also associated with conditions like schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, anxiety disorders, and bipolar disorder.

The presence of these genes doesn’t guarantee a future alcohol use disorder – or any type of disorder or condition. They’re just a possible factor that increases the risk. The environment still matters, so there are ways to prevent alcohol addiction if you have a family history.

What to Do If You Have a Family History of Alcohol Addiction

If you have a family history of alcohol addiction, you may be at an increased risk of alcohol abuse. It’s important to take steps to limit the other factors that may contribute to alcohol abuse, such as understanding what responsible drinking is.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:[10]

  • Moderate drinking is having one drink or less in a day for women or two drinks or less in a day for men.
  • Binge drinking is having four or more drinks for women or five or more drinks for men during an event or occasion.
  • Heavy drinking is having eight or more drinks for women or 15 or more drinks for men during a week.

Drinking less alcohol is healthier than drinking more, but based on these guidelines, staying at or below moderate alcohol use is a safer choice. This refers to a standard drink, which is:[11]

  • 12 ounces of beer with 5% alcohol.
  • 8 ounces of malt liquor with 7% alcohol.
  • 5 ounces of wine with 12% alcohol.
  • A shot or 1.5 ounces of liquor or distilled spirits (80-proof liquor).

Keep in mind that some drinks can have higher alcohol content than a standard drink, so it’s easy to go above the moderate daily intake without realizing it.

There are some other ways you can limit the risk of alcohol abuse and engage in alcohol use responsibly, such as choosing to spend time with people who also drink responsibly and avoiding using alcohol as a way to cope with life. For example, drinking alcohol to loosen up if you have social anxiety or to cheer up if you feel depressed can start an unhealthy cycle of drinking alcohol, experiencing worse depression or anxiety, and then drinking again.

Alcoholism Has Many Factors

Genetics plays a role in developing alcohol use disorder, but it’s not the only factor. Social and environmental factors can affect your alcohol use patterns and whether you develop a problem, especially if you already have a genetic predisposition to alcohol addiction. If you’re concerned about your alcohol use patterns, talk to your doctor or therapist about your options.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Likely Are You to Be an Alcoholic If Your Parents Are?

Yes, you can be more likely to become an alcoholic if your biological parents are, due to genetic factors. Research indicates that you’re about four times more likely than the general population to develop alcohol problems.

What Are the Main Causes of Alcoholism?

Alcoholism is caused by the interactions between many factors, including genetic, environmental, social, psychological, and experiences like trauma or abuse. The main causes of alcoholism can vary for different people.

Is Alcohol Tolerance Inherited?

Alcohol tolerance occurs when you use alcohol in the same amounts over time and no longer get the same effects, so you need to increase the amount. Tolerance isn’t inherited. It happens when you drink a lot of alcohol over long periods.

Sources

[1] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.-b). Risk factors: Varied vulnerability to alcohol-related harm. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Retrieved from https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/health-professionals-communities/core-resource-on-alcohol/risk-factors-varied-vulnerability-alcohol-related-harm#pub-toc3 on 2024, December 21.

[2] U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.-f). What is a gene?: Medlineplus Genetics. MedlinePlus. Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/basics/gene/ on 2024, December 21.

[3] Edenberg, H. J., & Foroud, T. (2013, August). Genetics and alcoholism. Nature reviews. Gastroenterology & hepatology. Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4056340/ on 2024, December 21.

[4] King, S. M., Keyes, M., Malone, S. M., Elkins, I., Legrand, L. N., Iacono, W. G., & McGue, M. (2009, April). Parental alcohol dependence and the transmission of adolescent behavioral disinhibition: A study of adoptive and non-adoptive families. Addiction (Abingdon, England). Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2751628/ on 2024, December 21.

[5] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.-b). Risk factors: Varied vulnerability to alcohol-related harm. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Retrieved from https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/health-professionals-communities/core-resource-on-alcohol/risk-factors-varied-vulnerability-alcohol-related-harm#pub-toc3 on 2024, December 21.

[6] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.-b). Risk factors: Varied vulnerability to alcohol-related harm. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Retrieved from https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/health-professionals-communities/core-resource-on-alcohol/risk-factors-varied-vulnerability-alcohol-related-harm on 2024, December 21.

[7] Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2022, May 18). Alcohol use disorder. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alcohol-use-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20369243 on 2024, December 21.

[8] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.-b). Risk factors: Varied vulnerability to alcohol-related harm. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Retrieved from https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/health-professionals-communities/core-resource-on-alcohol/risk-factors-varied-vulnerability-alcohol-related-harm#pub-toc3 on 2024, December 21.

[9] ScienceDaily. (2014, May 21). Group of 11 genes predicts alcoholism risk, gives new insights into biology of the disease. ScienceDaily. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140521162547.htm on 2024, December 21.

[10] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.-a). Alcohol use and your health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/about-alcohol-use/index.html on 2024, December 21.

[11] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.-a). About standard drink sizes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/standard-drink-sizes/index.html on 2024, December 21.