Summary: The relative lengths of your fingers might be linked to your alcohol consumption patterns. Researchers found that individuals with longer 4th (ring) fingers relative to 2nd (index) fingers, indicating high prenatal testosterone exposure, are more likely to consume alcohol.
This relationship was stronger in men, who generally show higher alcohol consumption and related risks than women. These findings could improve our understanding of how prenatal hormone exposure influences behavior, potentially informing interventions for alcohol-related issues.
Key Facts:
- A longer 4th finger relative to the 2nd finger is linked to higher alcohol use.
- This pattern reflects high prenatal testosterone exposure and was stronger in men.
- Findings may help explain individual differences in alcohol consumption behaviors.
Source: Swansea University
The length of your fingers may hold a vital clue to your drinking habits, according to a new study.
There is evidence that alcohol consumption is influenced by prenatal sex steroids so experts from Swansea University and colleagues from the Medical University of Lodz decided to use a sample of students for their research into the subject.
Their findings have just been published by prestigious online journal American Journal of Human Biology. They found relationships between high alcohol consumption and long 4th digits relative to 2nd digits. This showed that high prenatal testosterone relative to oestrogen is linked to high student alcohol consumption.
Professor John Manning, of Swansea’s Applied Sports, Technology, Exercise and Medicine (A-STEM) research team, said: “Alcohol consumption is a major social and economic problem. Therefore, it is important to understand why alcohol use shows considerable differences across individuals.”
The study used a sample of 258 participants – 169 of them female – and it revealed consumption rates varied between the sexes. In comparison to women, men show higher alcohol consumption and higher mortality from alcohol abuse.
He said: “A pattern like this suggests an involvement of sex hormones, such as testosterone and oestrogen. Digit ratio (2D:4D: the relative lengths of the 2nd [index] and 4th [ring] fingers) is thought to be an index of early testosterone (long 4th digit) and oestrogen (long 2nd digit).
“It is known that alcohol-dependent patients have very long 4th digits relative to their 2nd digits, suggesting high testosterone relative to oestrogen exposure before birth. As expected, the associations were stronger for men than women.”
Now the researchers hope their conclusions will bring a better understanding of the factors underlying the pattern of alcohol consumption, from abstinence to occasional use to harmful dependence.
About this AUD research news
Author: Kathy Thomas
Source: Swansea University
Contact: Kathy Thomas – Swansea University
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access.
“Is Alcohol Consumption Pattern Dependent on Prenatal Sex-Steroids? A Digit Ratio (2D:4D) Study Among University Students” by John Manning et al. American Journal of Human Biology
Abstract
Is Alcohol Consumption Pattern Dependent on Prenatal Sex-Steroids? A Digit Ratio (2D:4D) Study Among University Students
Introduction
There is evidence that alcohol consumption is influenced by prenatal sex steroids (as measured by digit ratio [2D:4D]). Here, we clarify the effect size of the relationship in a student (rather than a patient) population.
Methods
There were 258 (169 women) participants. Digit length was measured directly with calipers. Alcohol use was evaluated by the Polish version of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and operationalized as total AUDIT scores and grams of alcohol/week.
Results
Digit ratios were sexually dimorphic (males < females). There were negative correlations between right 2D:4D and Dr-l (right 2D:4D minus left 2D:4D) and AUDIT scores and grams of alcohol/week in both sexes. Relationships varied from small (r = −0.29) to large (r = −0.69) and they were stronger in males in comparison to females and for right 2D:4D in comparison to Dr-l.
In males only, there were small (r = 0.21) to moderate (r = 0.31) positive associations with body size (height, weight, and mean right digit length) and alcohol consumption. Multiple regression analyses showed relationships between digit ratios remained significant but those for body size did not.
Conclusion
Alcohol consumption was negatively related to 2D:4D, suggesting high prenatal testosterone and low prenatal estrogen are linked to its consumption. Correlations varied in strength from small to large with the strongest found for right 2D:4D and for males. Positive relationships between body size and alcohol were small to moderate, confined to males, and were not independent of digit ratios. Prenatal androgenization may influence alcohol drinking patterns in non-clinical individuals.
