Drunk Without Drinking": New Study Reveals Gut Microbes Behind Rare Intoxication Syndrome
In a groundbreaking development, researchers have pinpointed the exact gut bacteria and biological pathways responsible for auto-brewery syndrome (ABS) — a rare disorder where individuals become intoxicated without consuming any alcohol. Known as "drunkenness disease" or gut fermentation syndrome, ABS occurs when certain microbes in the digestive system ferment carbohydrates from food into ethanol (alcohol), which then enters the bloodstream and causes real symptoms of intoxication. A major study published on January 7, 2026, in Nature Microbiology by scientists from Mass General Brigham and the University of California San Diego analyzed 22 patients with ABS, comparing them to unaffected household members and healthy controls. The findings revealed that patients' gut samples produced significantly more alcohol than those of others. Key culprits include bacterial species such as Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, which convert sugars into ethanol through spec...