Woman Denied Liver Transplant Due to Alcoholism—but She Hadn’t Had a Drop to Drink

Odd Phenomenon

The syndrome flares up when “gut disturbances” like antibiotic use allow fermenting fungi or bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract to grow uncontrollably. When a person with this type of auto-brewery syndrome consumes carbs like bread, pasta, pizza, or sugary drinks, the fermenting microbes turn into ethanol—leading to “extreme blood alcohol levels.”

Leading to Trouble

The syndrome even made it to the mainstream, having been featured in an episode of Grey’s Anatomy. Still, the occurrence of unexplained, seemingly random intoxication can profoundly disturb patients’ lives, often leading to issues at home and in the workplace...