Ozzy Osbourne’s Genetic Cocktail: Was the Prince of Darkness Literally Born to Rock (and Roll One)?
Added on August 1, 2025 inMusic News Cards
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Ever wonder how some rock stars manage to defy the odds and live long enough to annoy their kids with stories of wild nights and near-death experiences? Take Ozzy Osbourne, for instance—the Prince of Darkness who partied like there was no tomorrow and yet hit 76 like it was a birthday bash. Could Mercury’s retrograde have had a hand in his legendary resilience, or maybe it was something far more scientific lurking beneath that wild mane? Turns out, Ozzy wasn’t just lucky; his DNA played a backstage role in this rock ‘n’ roll survival story—carrying genetic mutations that helped his body process booze and drugs quicker than Joe Public’s. But here’s the kicker: those same mutations also amped up his risk of addiction—it’s like his genes threw a party with both a life-saving bouncer and a sneaky party crasher. Intrigued? Dive into how the cosmos and his chromosomes teamed up in the ultimate encore. LEARN MORE
When it comes to rock stars living to a ripe old age after decades of fast living, there are some things which simply cannot be explained.
However, in other cases there are actually demonstrable reasons why some folks were able to party harder than everyone else and still make it to their golden years.
The world of rock and roll recently lost one of its most famous in Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath singer and Prince of Darkness who gained quite a reputation for partying.
Ozzy died last month ‘surrounded by love’ at the age of 76, a few weeks after performing from a giant throne one last time at the ‘Back to the Beginning’ farewell concert where around £140 million was raised for charity.
He was earlier this week laid to rest in the grounds of his family’s home in Buckinghamshire after he expressed a desire to be buried in a garden.
He lived quite a life and the fact that he made it to 76 owes a lot to Sharon, though a genetic mutation may also have had something to do with it.
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Ozzy Osbourne was built different, and there’s scientific proof (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)
Back in 2007, a genetics company called Knome approached Ozzy Osbourne and asked if he’d be willing to have his genome sequenced and analysed.
He agreed as a matter of curiosity, saying: “Given the swimming pools of booze I’ve guzzled over the years – not to mention all of the cocaine, morphine, sleeping pills, cough syrup, LSD, Rohypnol … you name it – there’s really no plausible medical reason why I should still be alive.
“Maybe my DNA could say why.”
Researchers looked at a blood sample provided by Ozzy and found several gene variants they’d ‘never seen before’, including ones which would change the way his body absorbed drugs.
According to Discover, they found something near his ADH4 gene, which makes a protein called alcohol dehydrogenase-4 that breaks down alcohol.
They also found mutations in genes linked to addiction and the way the human body breaks down marijuana, opiates and methamphetamines.
He was genuinely built different.
Ozzy had his genes studied years ago and they found his body was better equipped to break down alcohol and drugs (Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images)
The mutations protected him as his genetic mutation meant his body could break down alcohol faster than a normal human and detoxify quicker than usual.
The sort of drinking the rockstar used to get up to may have been fatal and deprived us of several decades of Ozzy without his genetic mutations.
However, not all of these mutations were to Ozzy’s benefit.
Genetics play a major role in addiction and Ozzy’s genes meant he was six times more likely to have cravings for or dependency on alcohol than the average person.
He was also found to be 1.31 times more likely to be addicted to cocaine and 2.6 times more likely to hallucinate from taking marijuana.
The mutations might have helped Ozzy’s body deal with drugs and alcohol, but they also made him more prone to getting addicted to them in the first place.
Researchers also suggested that he was slower to metabolise coffee and likely had some Neanderthal ancestry if you went far back enough along his family tree.
You can tell a lot about a person by looking at their genes.
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