Auto-Brewery Syndrome: Canadian woman's gut produces alcohol internally
Auto-Brewery Syndrome: A Canadian case report published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal on Monday details how doctors treated a 50-year-old woman who had a syndrome that caused her gut to produce alcohol and feel intoxicated without getting drunk.
The woman was diagnosed with auto-brewery syndrome, a rare condition in which gut fungi ferment alcohol, by doctors at the University of Toronto and Mount Sinai.
The woman had high blood alcohol levels, alcohol on her breath, and major daytime sleepiness and slurred speech for two years, even though she did not consume alcohol.
Nevertheless, despite her claims that she had not been drinking, the doctors consistently rejected her case and diagnosed her as intoxicated.
She has experienced recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) over the past five years, necessitating frequent courses of the proton pump inhibitors ciprofloxacin and nitrofurantoin. She has also been treated with dexlansoprazole for gastrointestinal reflux disease.
She used to enjoy a glass of wine on holidays, but due to her religious beliefs, she had given up alcohol entirely in recent years.
She went to the emergency room seven times with her husband and kids before the right diagnosis could be made, indicating that doctors were not aware of the syndrome.
According to Dr. Rahel Zewude of the University of Toronto and his co-authors, "auto-brewery syndrome carries substantial social, legal, and medical consequences for patients and their loved ones."
The rare syndrome was caused by gut dysbiosis, which the doctors "suspect recurrent antibiotics for UTI and dexlansoprazole use led to, with potential contribution of genetics."
Low-carb diets and antifungal medication were used to treat the woman.
When microorganisms that can ferment alcohol from carbohydrates outgrow normal gut flora, it results in auto-brewery syndrome.
It is rare because a significant excess of fermenting microorganisms and high carbohydrate consumption must interact with multiple host factors.
"Comorbidities such as diabetes, liver disease, gut dysmotility disorders, and inflammatory bowel disease are associated with auto-brewery syndrome," the study added.
- With inputs from agencies
