Society

Could finger length be linked to how much alcohol you drink? New study says yes!

Photo by Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images
According to John Manning, alcohol-dependent patients have "very long 4th digits relative to their 2nd digits." Photo by Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images
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Polish and UK researchers have linked finger length to alcohol consumption, suggesting prenatal hormones may shape drinking habits.

Scientists from the UK’s Swansea University and Poland’s Medical University of Łódź examined 258 students and found that a lower 2D:4D ratio—where the ring finger is longer than the index finger—was associated with higher alcohol intake, particularly in men.

Professor John Manning of Swansea University said: “It is known that alcohol-dependent patients have very long 4th digits relative to their 2nd digits, suggesting high testosterone relative to estrogen exposure before birth.”

He added: “As expected, the associations were stronger for men than women.”

The study published by the American Journal of Human Biology, also found that men with larger body sizes were slightly likelier to drink more alcohol, but this relationship was also dependent on their finger ratios.

The researchers pointed out that while the findings highlight an intriguing biological link, this does not mean finger length determines drinking habits. Instead, they suggest that prenatal hormonal influences may subtly shape tendencies toward alcohol use later in life.

This is the latest study on Professor Manning’s work with digit ratios, which has also explored links to Covid-19 outcomes and oxygen use in footballers.
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