Weren’t drunk? Auto brewery syndrome could explain impairment
If you’re ever stopped by the police and accused of driving while intoxicated despite not being, it’s important for you to take a deep look into your health. If you were feeling disoriented, tired or even a little bit drunk despite having no alcohol, one of the medical conditions you should look into is auto brewery syndrome.
Auto brewery syndrome is not extremely common, but it can lead to some people being accused falsely of DWIs. Here’s what you should know about this unusual medical condition.
Auto brewery syndrome and fermentation inside your body
Nicknamed the “drunkenness” disease, ABS is a rare condition that happens when the body begins turning starches or sugars into alcohol in the body. There are very few people who have this condition, but many of them find out when they end up being placed under arrest for a DWI after having no alcohol at all that day.
The symptoms of auto brewery syndrome include:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Flushed skin
- Red skin
- Dry mouth
- Mood changes
- Fatigue
- Memory or concentration problems
Some people feel like they have a hangover even though they haven’t had anything to drink.
Auto brewery syndrome is linked to some kinds of yeast found naturally in the body, such as:
- Candida albicans
- Candida kefyr
- Candida glabrata
Usually, these kinds of yeast are found in modest amounts throughout the body. When they overgrow in the gut, they may cause symptoms of auto brewery syndrome. This typically happens in response to an infection, imbalance or disease. For example, it’s known that Crohn’s disease could cause this illness to develop.
This medical condition can be treated, and you can fight a DWI
If you find out that you have auto brewery syndrome, it is possible for you to seek treatment and to fight against a DWI. You can take medications like nystatin or fluconazole to reduce the yeast in your body.
The diagnosis itself can help you show that you were not impaired at the time of a traffic stop, too. You may be able to successfully defense yourself while you focus on getting your body working correctly again in the future.