Gut fermentation syndrome, also known as auto-brewery syndrome (ABS), is a very rare disorder. That is the endogenous production of alcohol. It usually appears with symptoms of alcohol intoxication, such as staggering gait, slurred speech, gastrointestinal distress, and a state of confusion. This is a rare syndrome that is more common in people with underlying digestive issues.
A glucose test followed by an ethanol challenge with elevated blood or breath levels is the confirmatory test for this syndrome. It is suggested to avoid a carbohydrate-rich diet and promote the use of antifungal drugs. This auto-brewery syndrome (ABS) is characterised by a noticeable increase in ethanol content when little to no alcohol is consumed. The pharmacokinetics of alcohol are affected by a variety of factors. Fermentation done by microbes in the human body is the proposed reason for this unusual phenomenon. In all age groups and among both genders, ABS is acknowledged.
A study conducted by Al-Awadhi et al. in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Ragab et al. in the Saudi Arabian population revealed the blood ethanol levels that are naturally present in various population subsets. But no significant difference was shown to participants’s age, gender, or nationality, as corpulent and female participants were shown to have higher levels of breath alcohol content at Nair et al. in a study involving non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
Over all, it shows that patients in the ABS group were less healthy, had more frequent bowel movements, were more sensitive to diet, drank more water, and avoided starchy foods. The intake of carbohydrate-rich meals or antibiotic use, which might disrupt the gut ecology, are the main causes of this syndrome.
Join our whatsapp group for Latest updates