Science Explains The Bizarre Medical Condition That Makes You Constantly Drunk

Drinking alcohol to a level of intoxication undoubtedly causes a range of symptoms. These effects on both your physical and mental capacities are temporary, with the exact duration varying based on your age, body weight, and overall health, as well as how much you drink. It turns out that drinking alcohol isn't the only way people might feel drunk, though. One surprising source is a rare medical condition that can make you feel drunk without consuming a drop of alcohol. Known as auto-brewery syndrome, this condition instead makes you experience symptoms of intoxication from issues with yeast in your gut.

Also called gut fermentation syndrome or endogenous ethanol fermentation, auto-brewery syndrome is considered extremely rare. However, this condition is also likely underdiagnosed because of a lack of awareness. The culprit behind this condition is an overgrowth of yeast in the gut, which also produce ethanol, a type of alcohol. As you consume carbohydrates, this ethanol builds up via a fermentation process from the yeast, and the body cannot get rid of it fast enough. The excess then ends up in your bloodstream.

The large quantities of ethanol from gut yeast can raise your blood alcohol content, just like drinking alcoholic beverages. These symptoms can range from brain fog, loss of balance, fatigue, vomiting, and memory impairment, to slurred speech, agitation, and mood swings. Aside from symptoms of "drunkenness," auto-brewery syndrome can cause hangover-like symptoms, fatigue, and gastrointestinal discomfort, along with bowel movement issues. Furthermore, if you do drink alcohol with auto-brewery syndrome, you might get intoxicated much quicker and with fewer drinks.

While scientists know what happens in the gut as a result of auto-brewery syndrome, the exact causes and risk factors are less understood. People who experience this likely have multiple issues in the digestive system. One risk factor is an excess of fermenting microbes, which may be caused by imbalances from chronic inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's disease, a weakened immune system, or taking too many antibiotics. Liver diseases can also contribute to auto-brewery syndrome because of the liver's reduced ability to metabolize ethanol. Diabetes and metabolic disorders are other notable risk factors.

Alcohol poisoning from auto-brewery syndrome is uncommon, but there are other complications to consider. These are similar to excess alcohol consumption, and include accidents, blackouts, mental health disorders, liver disease, and brain damage. Any suspected case of auto-brewery syndrome ought to be diagnosed by a doctor. There isn't a test for this condition, though. Instead, a doctor might diagnose auto-brewery syndrome based on your history of symptoms, a physical exam, personal alcohol use, blood testing, and an oral glucose test. They might also take a sample of fluids from your gastrointestinal tract for a microbiome analysis.

There's currently no cure for auto-brewery syndrome, but it can be managed via careful gut health care. Aside from eating a gut-healthy diet via whole foods, you might also need to avoid starchy and sweet foods that fuel ethanol-producing yeasts. In addition to a low-carb diet, a doctor might also prescribe anti-fungal medications to help reduce the amount of yeast in your gut. They may even recommend probiotic supplements for support. Additional management techniques include stress reduction, getting enough sleep (but not too much!), and moderate-intensity exercise.