Scientists finally crack the mystery behind 'auto-brewery syndrome'
Researchers have identified key gut bacteria and pathways that contribute to Auto-Brewery Syndrome (ABS)—a rare condition where your body literally brews alcohol from carbs.
The study, which looked at ABS patients, their housemates, and healthy controls, could make diagnosing and treating ABS much easier in the future.
The real culprits: E. coli and Klebsiella
During ABS flare-ups, stool samples from patients showed way more ethanol than those from people without the condition.
Turns out, E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae are key contributors, especially when certain fermentation enzymes ramp up.
What this means for diagnosis and treatment
Instead of tricky blood tests, stool samples might soon help spot ABS more easily.
Treatments like fecal transplants are showing promise—one patient bounced back after a relapse thanks to changes in gut bacteria, and after a second fecal transplant with different antibiotic pretreatment, remained symptom-free for over 16 months.
Targeting these alcohol-making enzymes could open up even better treatments down the line.