Ozzy Osbourne Is Still Alive After 40 Years of Hard Partying Because of a Genetic Mutation

In 2010, Ozzy Osbourne became one of about 100 people to have his genetic material studied and deciphered. The reason? After 40 years of hard drugs and drinking, several near-death experiences, and general dangerous tomfoolery, Osbourne should realistically be dead.

Videos by American Songwriter

However, he was still alive in 2010 (and still is alive now) due to a genetic mutation in his DNA. Osbourne sent a blood sample to Cofactor Genetics, a company that sequences DNA. His sequence was then sent to Knome, a company that analyzes human genomes.

The studies found several interesting things about Ozzy Osbourne’s DNA. But the most fascinating came when they studied the genes responsible for drug and alcohol metabolism. According to the studies, Osbourne has a genetic mutation that allows him to metabolize drugs and alcohol much faster than normal.

Can Ozzy Osbourne Really Thank His Genes for Keeping Him Alive? Or Are They the Reason for His Struggles?

To say the least, Ozzy Osbourne has put himself through the wringer. Still, while he has admitted that he’s “not completely” sober, partaking in marijuana from time to time as he still struggles with health issues, he’s put his party days behind him.

His continued survival despite so many issues is most likely due in part to the recalibration of his lifestyle, as well as age in general. But there was a time when his immune system was so compromised by drugs and alcohol that he falsely tested positive for HIV.

Reading his genetic material in 2010 may have illuminated one of the reasons why Osbourne continually survived despite his self-destructive ways.

Researchers found something interesting in his ADH4 gene. The ADH4 produces the protein alcohol dehydrogenase-4, which controls the metabolism of alcohol. A mutation near the ADH4 gene would impact how the protein is made. Allegedly, the mutation in Osbourne’s gene made it so he metabolized alcohol much faster than normal.

Additional gene mutations explained his penchant for addiction. According to the studies, he was six times more likely than average to become dependent on alcohol, and 1.31 times more likely to become addicted to hard drugs. Additionally, he was 2.6 times more likely to experience hallucinations with marijuana.

Through studying the human genome, it’s been posited that some aspects of addiction are due to our genes. Some are environmental and circumstantial, but it also comes down to our DNA. Several genes are linked to addiction, and it remains a complex puzzle.

Photo by Erica Echenberg/Redferns