Can you brew alcohol in your body? Yes, but only if you have a very rare condition called auto-brewery syndrome (ABS), which occurs when certain bacteria and yeasts in the gut break down carbohydrates into ethanol.
People with ABS can appear drunk, despite not having touched an alcoholic drink.
The most common microorganisms involved in ABS are the yeast species Saccaromyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans. Antibiotic use can set the scene for the syndrome by disturbing the gut ecosystem and allowing ethanol-producing organisms to proliferate.
A diet rich in carbohydrates will exacerbate ABS, which is also more common in people with diabetes, Crohn's disease or liver cirrhosis.
This article is an answer to the question (asked by Natalie McGrath, Birmingham) 'Could I brew alcohol in my body?'
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