Study helps explain rare condition that causes the body to produce its own alcohol
Study shines light on rare disease that makes people drunk without drinking
- A new study has demystified auto-brewery syndrome (ABS), a rare gastrointestinal condition where the body produces alcohol, causing intoxication without drinking.
- Researchers identified specific gut bacteria, including Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, that ferment sugars into ethanol in the intestine, leading to blood-alcohol levels high enough for legal intoxication.
- The condition can result in significant health problems such as liver damage, cognitive impairment, digestive issues, and withdrawal symptoms, often leading to years of misdiagnosis for patients.
- The largest study on ABS to date found that stool samples from affected patients during a flare produced considerably more ethanol than those from healthy individuals.
- These findings are expected to inform future clinical interventions, potentially leading to easier diagnosis through stool-based tests and improved treatments, including antibiotics, targeting microbial enzymes, and faecal microbiota transplantation.