WHEN YOUR OWN BODY IS A BREWERY!
WHEN YOUR OWN BODY IS A BREWERY!
Check out this fascinating article featured in GI and Hepatology News that stemmed from a unique patient who presented with severe nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH; also known as a severe inflammatory form of fatty liver, a condition that affects almost 30% of the U.S. population) plus AUTO-BREWERY SYNDROME.
“The patient has a very high blood alcohol concentration but an alcohol-free, high carbohydrate diet.” It was determined that strains of high alcohol-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria living within the patient’s intestines were the catalyst for the high blood alcohol level.
The researchers from Beijing then analyzed numerous patients with fatty liver disease compared to healthy normal individuals and found that these specific Klebsiella bacteria were slightly higher in the feces of patients with fatty liver disease, but that their ALCOHOL-PRODUCING ABILITY IN NAFLD PATIENTS WAS SIGNIFICANTLY STRONGER.
An additional phase of the study involved transplanting the Klebsiella pneumoniae rich stool from fatty liver patients into healthy germ-free mice. The mice then developed fatty liver!
These studies demonstrate the importance of the gut microbiome in the development of fatty liver and its complications, specifically showing that certain types of bacteria can create high levels of alcohol that can contribute to liver injury.
We are ready to help you or your loved ones reduce risks of fatty liver disease and optimize the state of your gut microbiome! At Comprehensive Gastrointestinal Health, not only do we have the knowledge on how to evaluate and care for liver disease, but we have the holistic approach and comprehensive team to help achieve weight loss goals and improvement in the metabolic risk factors that cause fatty liver disease. Come visit our gastroenterologist, nurse practitioner, registered dietitian, behavioral counselor, and licensed physical therapist/fitness consultant to start making meaningful change and optimizing your liver and gut health. Call 224.407.4400 or visit compgihealth.com to schedule an appointment.