Self-brewery syndrome is a rare condition where excessive amounts of yeast in the gut ferment carbohydrates into blood alcohol, causing intoxication without consuming alcohol. It has been reported in Japan and linked to short bowel syndrome in children. It is not a successful defense for drunk driving.
Self-brewery syndrome, also known as gut fermentation syndrome, is a rare and poorly understood condition in which a person can become intoxicated without consuming any alcohol. It is thought to occur due to excessive amounts of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the yeast used to make beer, wine and other spirits, in the gastrointestinal tract. The yeast is therefore thought to ferment with the carbohydrates consumed into blood alcohol rather than metabolizing it in the bloodstream for energy. In reported cases, after consuming carbohydrate-rich foods, such as fruit, bread, and pasta, the person’s blood alcohol level will rise to the point of being legally intoxicated.
Read more about self-brewery syndrome:
The first documented cases of auto-brewery syndrome were in Japan, which reported 12 cases of the condition by 1972.
Short bowel syndrome, a condition in which the body is unable to absorb nutrients due to a malfunctioning intestine, is thought to be the culprit for cases of self-brewery syndrome in children.
Attempts have been made to use auto-brewery syndrome as a defense for drunk driving, but the rarity of the condition has not been successful.
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