This strange syndrome causes devastating consequences in the life of those who suffer from it. Photo: composition LR/El Financiero
A woman went to a hospital in Texas along with her husband, 61, completely drunk. The man had a very high alcohol level and had to be treated for alcohol poisoning. Initially, the man said that he had not ingested anything, but the health specialists thought that he was denying his drinking problems, so they decided to lock him in a room for 24 hours without anyone going in or out.
They gave him balanced food and kept his alcohol controlled every two hours, but even so the level was still very high. The fact puzzled the specialists: after the analysis, they detected that the excess yeast produced beer in his intestine —he suffered Saccharomyces cerevisiaeknown as the autocerveceri syndromea—, as reported by the International Journal of Clinical Medicine.
The Incredible Case of Matthew Hogg
Subsequently, the case Matthew Hogg —who suffered from digestive upsets, sudden alcoholic hangovers, and frequent muscle aches—became a household name. That was the daily life of the subject from the United Kingdom, he got drunk on bread and noodles like an average person does on liters of pisco.
Autobrewery syndrome seriously affects the life of those who suffer from it. Photo: composition LR/evtv/broadcast
He Hogg’s organism he produced ethanol (pure alcohol) from carbohydrates that left him drunk and with terrible hangovers. He had to save $80,000 on medical tests to get an accurate diagnosis. The man told the English media that this disorder has had devastating effects on his life.
“I dreamed of being a major athlete and was an outstanding student, but found myself unable to concentrate during exams and was exhausted after jogging my last few years at school,” he told a British media outlet.
“I have experienced symptoms since birth and during my childhood there were countless times that I suffered ‘drunk’ without having consumed an alcoholic beverage,” the man said. Photo: I genside
Hogg can’t hold down a full-time job, so he earns income from a website called The Environmental Illness Resource. “I constantly read messages from visitors to my website who have my condition, saying that their doctor, their boss, their coworkers, and even their friends, family, and partner just don’t get it,” he said.
“I understood that I had my own brewery in my gut that was poisoning my body and my mind,” he added. Photo: Daily Mail
What is autobrewery syndrome?
This disorder, also known as intestinal fermentation, is severe, as it causes changes in the life of the sufferer. According to a publication in the Medicine Science Law journal, large amounts of yeast in the gut turn food into beer.
Although there are few cases in the world, specialists have identified that some drugs can cause this rare disease. According to research, ethanol in contact with the sugars of some foods, such as yeast, lead to drunkenness.