<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Sorry, I didn't see this had been rejected as too long, it came into another folder. I wondered why there'd been no comments. Here goes: Now I should ask on the iron overload group, though I think there are far fewer people in it. I did talk to a local AA leader about iron overload and he said a lot of alcoholics had "food addictions". Gluten is probably a major suspect. I've added some comments in caps. Here is my original post: On the guaifenesin FMS support group, someone brought up the subject of FMS symptoms appearing shortly after she and others had quit drinking. A half dozen women responded with stories of their own. I have this theory that the iron overload that causes a lot of FMS also causes a lot of alcoholism. So here is my question, does gluten intolerance, the other FMS gene, also cause alcoholism? I will be happy to summarize (and keep anonymous) any comment ya'll make on the subject. This is one near and dear to my heart, as I am trying to figure out whether my ex (and father of my kids) had celiac running in his family (with gluten having the effect of making them feel mean) or whether it was iron overload making them mean and drinkers. I am figuring that the hypoglycemia from eating gluten would make celiacs seek out fast calories. Donna H RESPONSES: As an ex problem Irish drinker, Donna, celiac makes it harder for me to drink, so I seldom now have more than a glass of wine or two. For one thing, the acid reflux that often comes with celiac is made much worse by alcohol. The irish have the highest rates in the world of cd, cystic fibrosis, and Iron overload. So in your case, without being tested, we might still Suspect iron overload could be involved. Theoretically, celiac should Protect from the iron overload gene. This post was from a male, and men are More susceptible to io because they do not menstruate. Please post the responses you get. I'm very interested. My mother's father died of Iron Overload disease, but there wasn't any alcoholism. My mother and I have Celiac Disease. My father is an alcoholic, and there is also CD in his family. Thing is, I don't think you're going to be able to uncover a gene that is responsible for what is considered a BEHAVIOR (alcoholism, although is a disease, is a behavioral disease). Im sure there are genetic propensities toward addiction, but I don't think they've uncovered a gene for it. If your ex and his family are mean, I would suggest that you are lucky their no longer your in-laws, focusing not on how your children came accross these problems, but instead on preparing them for life with the diseases. Until we know more about genetics the best we can do is focus on preventing the behaviors attributed to drinking problems. Don't allow your children to EVER feel responsible for any unhappiness their father or you may have. Teach them to vent frustrations, to discuss emotions freely, and to accept all emotions as valid and important. These are the reasons people become alcoholics - there are no other ways to deal with painful emotions. If you give your children the skills to deal with things healthfully you shouldn't have to worry (as much) about whether they have a gene for alcoholism. This is especially important if their father is mean. My father is a mean bastard half the time, and the other half he is jovial and loving and the life of the party. Fortunately I was given the skills to say "I'm really mad that my father is chooses to be unreasonable! I am upset that I didn't have a good father on whom to rely!" And then forgive him for this, as he is a human with a disease. These are the things which keep me from being mean, or an alcoholic. By the way, if you don't have hemochromotosis (Iron Overload), or your ex doesn't, then your children CANT. That's nice to know, huh? So it would show up in your ex by now, and for you if you're still menstruating, you can have a genetic test done to determine if you have the disease. If neither of you has it, then your children can't have it. I wish Celiac were like that! It's much more elusive. (I think there is some io on my mom's side, and for all i know i could be Carrying it. One of my kids says his hair was going gray about age 21, but It's not anymore. That sure sounds like iron. He donated blood frequently, But i don't know what else might have stopped it. I think all 3 of my boys Are prone to alcohol trouble, but now they are past their teens are doing Okay with it. No alcoholism on my side except for a grandfather, but their FATHER AND GRANDMOTHER AND AUNT ALL ALCOHOLICS. Good luck, don't forget to remind your kids that whatever their father or you feels is NOT their responsibility, because if there truly is alcoholism in your family, you need to be sure to give them the skills to deal with their emotions. Good luck!!! I have had the same thoughts. My grandfather was an alcoholic, a very bright, young dentist, who died in his 40's. (COULD HAVE BEEN FROM IRON OVERLOAD?) My father, his son, was extremely mean, with an explosive temper. (IO CAN DO THAT, BUT SOME HAVE MENTIONED GLUTEN CAN TOO. Hypoglycemia does strange things to the brain. My first husband seemed Hypoglycemic, but then he didn't eat much, ever. Could have been zinc DEFICIENCY MAKING FOOD TASTE LIKE SAWDUST TO HIM) His mother was very short,4'11", and died in a mental institution. (SHORT STATURE A RISK FACTOR FOR CELIAC, AND CELIAC CAN CAUSE SCHIZOPHRENIA) I have CD and my sons, who tested negative, all have symptoms of CD. (THOSE DANG UNRELIABLE TESTS!) It's a very interesting disease, and I'm afraid we don't know the half of it,as far as all the damage that the grains cause. VERY APTLY PUT. AND Think of all the other genes altering the effects of celiac on the brain or Body. Like, why do some celiacs develop autoimmune diseases? Why does GLUTEN SEDATE ONE KID, MAKE ANOTHER HYPERACTIVE? That's a strange thought. Both my parents abused alcohol at different stages in their life. My sister has hemochromotosis (iron overload). I am self-diagnosed celiac. But no one in our family has ever been mean. I would be interested in the responses. I have a neice (17) who is not diagnosed, but I have always wondered if she is celiac and her father is an alcoholic and she is starting to stuggle with that journey too!