No more than one in six people carry genes which make alcohol good for them, according to a new study.
The Swedish researchers said people with the CETP TaqIB genes get additional protection against heart disease when they drink alcohol.
One day, they say, doctors will have tests to identify the "lucky" 15% of the population who carry the genes and might be able to drink for their health.
The findings, published in the journal Alcohol, come from a study of some 618 Swedish people with heart disease and another 3,000 healthy people.
The researchers found low rates of heart disease among people carrying the CETP TaqIB genes.
Researcher Professor Dag Thelle, of Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, said: "Our study represents a step in the right direction but a lot more research is needed.
"Assuming that we are able to describe these mechanisms, it may be a simple matter one day to perform genetic testing and determine whether someone belongs to the lucky 15%. That would be useful to know when offering advice on healthy alcohol consumption. But the most important thing is to identify new means of using the body’s resources to prevent coronary heart disease."
Kirsten Mehlig et al. CETP TaqIB genotype modifies the association between alcohol and coronary heart disease: The INTERGENE case-control study. Alcohol 17 September 2014 [abstract]
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