Man got ‘drunk’ after his gut brewed alcohol in bizarre medical case
A man who frequently became drunk but hadn’t been drinking was found to be brewing the booze in his own gut.
New Scientist notes the road to that diagnosis was long and troubled, as healthcare professionals never believed him when he said he hadn’t consumed even a drop of liquor.
In addition to being arrested for driving while intoxicated, the 46-year-old could no longer work and was sent to a psychiatrist.
Eventually, he sought treatment at Richmond University Medical Center in New York and it was discovered the man had a significant quantity of brewer’s yeast in his system, likely due to antibiotics he’d taken for a thumb injury.
Treatment involving probiotics, antifungal medication, and a low-carb diet proved successful for his “auto-brewery syndrome.”
According to a case report in BMJ Journals, he has been symptom-free for more than a year.
