Is it possible to be drunk without drinking alcohol? It would seem so. At least that’s the case for this man who avoided a conviction for drunk driving after proving that his body spontaneously produces alcohol.
There is a rare condition known as self-fermentation syndrome. People who suffer from this condition can spontaneously produce ethanol in their gastrointestinal tract when they consume too much carbohydrate. Also called auto-brewery syndrome, this condition can lead to symptoms that can resemble alcohol poisoning in an attack. In other words, people who suffer from self-fermentation syndrome can get drunk without drinking a single drop of alcohol. A 40-year-old Belgian man suffers from this syndrome and it has caused him harm.
In 2022, the man had seizures twice while driving his car. Both times, he was arrested by police, who then carried out breathalyzer tests. This determined that his blood alcohol level was well above the 0.22 grams per liter allowed for driving in Belgium. As a result, he was charged with drunk driving. However, he decided not to accept this accusation, and he presented evidence in court that he had not intentionally driven his car after excessive alcohol consumption.
Two years after the events, he was finally cleared of the drunk driving charges against him. The scales also tipped in his favor to the extent that it was noted that the man showed no signs of intoxication during roadside checks. Besides, what really happens to your body when you drink alcohol?
