Eigenbrauer syndrome is a rare intestinal disorder in which the microbiology of the intestine is disturbed and yeast fungi multiply to such an extent that they initiate a fermentation process that converts carbohydrates into alcohols that are harmful to the liver, such as butanol, methanol, and ethanol. The alcohol enters the bloodstream directly, causing elevated alcohol levels and alcohol intoxication. The person is intoxicated without having taken a sip of alcohol.
What is homebrewers syndrome?
Eigenbrauer syndrome causes alcohol intoxication due to the body’s own yeast fungi that convert carbohydrates into alcohol. Patients are intoxicated even without drinking alcohol. It is a rare intestinal disorder in which the bacterial composition in the digestive organ is disturbed. If left untreated, this disease can lead to irreparable to fatal liver damage such as cirrhosis, fatty liver, as well as cancer-causing breakdown products.
Causes
Homebrew syndrome can be triggered by the use of antibiotics and the carbohydrates found in many foods. Antibiotics, which are often the first-line treatment, can severely disrupt the diversity of gut bacteria that are essential for survival, upsetting the balance in the colon. These bacteria are responsible for proper post-digestion. The balance of the intestinal flora is upset and the resulting yeast fungi set in motion a fermentation process that converts carbohydrates into alcohol, which goes directly into the bloodstream. The affected person shows elevated alcohol levels in the blood and corresponding behavior that appears to be due to increased alcohol consumption.
Symptoms, complaints, and signs
Carbohydrate foods such as chips and pasta are often responsible for alcohol intoxication. Patients become nauseous and suffer from abdominal cramps. Like a drunk, they move unsteadily, are conspicuous for uncoordinated movements, and sometimes have difficulty articulating correctly. As the alcohol produced by the yeast fungi enters directly into the bloodstream, an alcohol intoxication is induced. This behavior, which appears to be due to excessive alcohol consumption, can be accompanied by the typical risks of alcoholization in various everyday situations, for example, in traffic or driving machinery. Furthermore, psychosocial stress may be added by ostracism of the social environment or criminal prosecution.
Diagnosis and course
Yeast fungi in the intestine convert carbohydrates into alcohol, causing alcohol intoxication. Simply put, the patient has a brewery in their gut and makes their own beer. Homebrewer’s syndrome occurs predominantly in people whose intestines are already damaged due to disease or antibiotic treatment, because a healthy intestine is usually immune to harmful bacteria and yeast fungi. The affected person suffers from alcohol intoxication. The diagnosis is initially made via a blood test in which elevated alcohol levels are detected, which seem to confirm the assumption of excessive alcohol consumption. Until a final diagnosis is made, patients initially begin a journey of suffering as those around them accuse them of increased alcohol abuse or label them as closet alcoholics. This bowel disease usually appears gradually, but sometimes it can appear suddenly from one second to the next. Since there is as yet no conclusive medical explanation for this strange clinical picture, the attending physician must conduct a detailed patient interview after evaluating the blood sample in order to find out in which situations this alcohol intoxication occurs more frequently. If the patient reports that he or she has previously undergone prolonged antibiotic treatment or that this condition always occurs after eating certain foods, the physician will get a clue that will lead him or her to Eigenbrauer syndrome. No other intestinal disease or food allergy triggers such a state of intoxication. The treating physician should consult a gastroenterologist, who will examine the gastrointestinal tract and take a stool sample. If traces of yeast are found, a fungal infection is present, with which the yeast fungi gain the upper hand over the beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract, turning carbohydrates into alcohol and causing the patient’s intoxicated state.
When to go to the doctor?
If a kind of alcohol intoxication is suddenly felt after eating foods containing carbohydrates, this indicates Eigenbrauer syndrome. Accordingly, the typical warning signs – an unsteady gait, uncoordinated movements, and problems articulating – should be clarified immediately. The doctor can usually diagnose Eigenbrauer’s syndrome quickly and initiate appropriate treatment directly. The chances of recovery are good, provided that the disease is detected early. However, if the bowel disease remains untreated, it can lead to serious complications. For example, the risk of accidents in everyday life increases considerably and psychological complaints often occur. Since carbohydrates are found in various foods, Eigenbrauer’s syndrome is also difficult to control. Alone therefore applies: with first indications of the unusual illness to the physician go. Further contacts are the gastroenterologist and specialists for internal medicine. Anyone who feels unwell after eating pasta, noodles and the like should be taken to the nearest hospital. In severe cases, an emergency physician must be called.
Treatment and therapy
If Eigenbrauer’s syndrome has been conclusively diagnosed, the patient must follow a strict diet that excludes the consumption of carbohydrate-containing foods and beverages such as pasta, pasta, chips, bread and cola. In this way, a renewed fermentation process in the intestine is prevented. In addition, the patient must take a medication for fungal treatment, which restores the orderly microbiology of the intestine and prevents a renewed yeast infection. Probiotic medications can also have a positive effect on the intestinal flora. Probiotics are primarily live bacteria or yeast fungi that occur naturally in lactic acid foods such as kefir, buttermilk or yogurt. They cannot cure various intestinal diseases such as Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome or ulcerative colitis (intestinal ulcer), but they can positively influence the course of the disease so that the patient experiences less suffering overall. In addition, probiotics strengthen the immune system, which in turn has a beneficial effect on the intestines. For this reason, doctors prescribe probiotic drugs such as “Kijimea Irritable Bowel“, “Omni Biotic” or “Mutaflor” to patients with Eigenbrauer’s syndrome, in addition to a strict carbohydrate diet. In addition, they recommend the consumption of probiotic foods such as bread drink, lactic acid products, sauerkraut juice or bread products made from sourdough.
Outlook and prognosis
The outlook for those affected with Eigenbrauer syndrome is not good if the disorder is left untreated for any length of time. In this rarely occurring intestinal disorder, ethanol is produced by fermentation processes resulting from a permanently disturbed microbiome. The alhohol from internal yeast fermentation can damage the liver in the long run. Without medical treatment, those affected are perceived as alcoholics because of the symptomatology of homebrewers syndrome. This can lead to stigmatization of those affected. The prognosis is also not very good without medical treatment of the gut flora, because all the consequential damages of unintentional alcoholism can occur. Although the affected person does not drink alcohol at all, he may develop cirrhosis of the liver. The prospects for the affected person improve if they see the doctor promptly. Medical professionals do not always recognize the problem as homebrewers syndrome. The unintentional state of intoxication is triggered by fusel alcohols. These are produced by the fermentation of carbohydrate-rich meals. The cause is intestinal flora overgrown with yeast fungi. In order to eliminate the cause of Eigenbrauer’s syndrome, it makes sense to rebuild the disturbed intestinal flora. If this is successful, it improves the prognosis. It is important, however, that the fermenting causes – for example carbohydrates – are no longer fed in large quantities. Adherence to a strict diet can help to stop fermentation. Often, homebrew syndrome occurs as a result of treatment with antibiotics.
Prevention
Prevention in the clinical sense is not possible, because Eigenbrauer syndrome occurs extremely rarely worldwide. Reliable data are not available and research is difficult. Therefore, only the causes are known, but not why the disease affects a few people but not the majority. However, a healthy diet that does not contain too many carbohydrates can be helpful.Those who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome or have undergone prolonged antibiotic treatment can also take probiotic medications to rebalance the intestinal flora. Probiotic dairy products can also make a positive contribution to well-being.
Aftercare
Since Eigenbrauer syndrome is a congenital disease, it cannot be treated causally, but only purely symptomatically. As a rule, therefore, the affected person has no special options for aftercare, so that primarily the disease itself must be treated. In most cases, patients are dependent on lifelong therapy in order to permanently alleviate the symptoms. The treatment of Eigenbrauer’s syndrome is usually carried out with the help of a diet. In this process, patients should not eat food that contains many carbohydrates in order to minimize the symptoms of the syndrome. Furthermore, medication must also be taken to combat the fungal infection. These medications should always be taken according to strict medical instructions. If there are any uncertainties, a doctor must always be consulted. In many cases, the intake of probiotic medications is also very helpful in Eigenbrauer’s syndrome and can alleviate the symptoms. Often, those affected also depend on help and support in everyday life from friends and family. Because Eigenbrauer’s syndrome can also damage the liver, regular examinations should be performed. As a rule, the disease does not reduce the patient’s life expectancy.
Here’s what you can do yourself
Sufferers often experience doubts about their abstinence from alcohol even when visiting the doctor. The crucial factor is the doctor’s trust in the patient. Only those who believe the patient’s strict abstinence from alcohol can be considered as the patient’s doctor. A certificate issued by the attending physician defuses unpleasant situations. It should always be ready in the wallet. With it the concerning clarifies for example order forces credibly over the cause of its involuntary Alkoholisierung. People affected by homebrewing syndrome should inform those in their private and professional environment about their condition. In this way, they eliminate the suspicion of being alcoholics. The circle of friends and colleagues who are in the know accept and support the homebrewer. Helpful measures against the consequences of chronic alcohol poisoning are, for example, regular massages, which relieve muscle pain. A cup of tea made from a slice of ginger doused with boiling water curbs nausea. Chew the ginger piece well after drinking and swallow it to get the full effect. For every high-carbohydrate food, there are very similar-tasting low-carb alternatives. Every homebrewer should be able to master the preparation of his or her favorite low-carb dishes: from pizza with dough based on cauliflower puree, to protein bread without grains, to low-carb nut cake with the sugar-like sweeteners xylitol or erythritol. This makes it possible to follow the required diet permanently and without deprivation.
