4 ms·

Genetics play an important factor. CYP1A2, one of the enzymes that metabolizes caffeine, varies by as much as 40x between individuals. In those with a high lev

Genetics play an important factor. CYP1A2, one of the enzymes that metabolizes caffeine, varies by as much as 40x between individuals. In those with a high level of the enzyme, caffeine is metabolized quickly, so they can drink coffee in the afternoon and still fall asleep. They are less likely to get anxiety from caffeine, and do not suffer from a higher risk of heart attacks with coffee consumption. In contrast, a small amount of CYPA12 prevents caffeine from being metabolized and prolongs its effects. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CYP1A2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CYP1A2

simonebrunozzi 8y ago
My dad (in Italy) drinks his last espresso after dinner, at ~9pm, every night, and soundly falls asleep by 10:30am. Perhaps he has a high level of CYP1A2? I am wondering if there's a cheap but effective method of measuring it.
- leshow 8y ago
  I realise you said 'perhaps' but I have to comment on how much I dislike this kind of backwards reasoning. I used to compete in bodybuilding, and I heard arguments like this all the time. "I'm not making progress, I must have low testosterone", "I must not be metabolizing protein", etc. The number of possibilities is huge, you really can't say with any certainty what the cause is. Most likely he just has a tolerance to caffeine from drinking it. It sounds like he drinks it all day.
- eggsyntax 8y ago
  May not qualify as cheap, but I believe 23andMe will tell you about the genes you've got which control your CYP1A2 levels, and predict your coffee intake accordingly.
lithander 8y ago
That explains a lot. I really can't relate do other coffee drinkers describing their experience. I often drink 0.4 liter of black coffee to get rid of the late evening sleepyness when I want some hours of productive free time for gaming or programming before bed. When I try to sleep ~3h later the effects of the coffee are largely gone and I fall to sleep within 5 minutes. I guess I've got a lot of that enzyme. ;) (which is nice)
- leshow 8y ago
  > I guess I've got a lot of that enzyme. ;) (which is nice) You can't make an assumption like that, you have no evidence and there's many possibilities.

simonebrunozzi 8y ago

My dad (in Italy) drinks his last espresso after dinner, at ~9pm, every night, and soundly falls asleep by 10:30am. Perhaps he has a high level of CYP1A2? I am wondering if there's a cheap but effective method of measuring it.

leshow 8y ago
I realise you said 'perhaps' but I have to comment on how much I dislike this kind of backwards reasoning. I used to compete in bodybuilding, and I heard arguments like this all the time. "I'm not making progress, I must have low testosterone", "I must not be metabolizing protein", etc. The number of possibilities is huge, you really can't say with any certainty what the cause is. Most likely he just has a tolerance to caffeine from drinking it. It sounds like he drinks it all day.
eggsyntax 8y ago
May not qualify as cheap, but I believe 23andMe will tell you about the genes you've got which control your CYP1A2 levels, and predict your coffee intake accordingly.

lithander 8y ago

That explains a lot. I really can't relate do other coffee drinkers describing their experience. I often drink 0.4 liter of black coffee to get rid of the late evening sleepyness when I want some hours of productive free time for gaming or programming before bed. When I try to sleep ~3h later the effects of the coffee are largely gone and I fall to sleep within 5 minutes. I guess I've got a lot of that enzyme. ;) (which is nice)

leshow 8y ago
> I guess I've got a lot of that enzyme. ;) (which is nice) You can't make an assumption like that, you have no evidence and there's many possibilities.