Health, Fitness,Dite plan, health tips,athletic club,crunch fitness,fitness studio,lose weight,fitness world,mens health,aerobic,personal trainer,lifetime fitness,nutrition,workout,fitness first,weight loss,how to lose weight,exercise,24 hour fitness,
Auto-brewery syndrome (ABS) is a medical condition that causes carbohydrates you consume to be fermented into alcohol in your gut. Also known as gut fermentation syndrome, this condition essentially makes you intoxicated, or drunk, without drinking any alcohol.
Your gut turns into a veritable brewery, creating many of the symptoms associated with heavy drinking or a hangover. Many of those affected have been arrested for driving while intoxicated and found to have alcohol blood levels far higher than the legal limit, although they had not had even one drink.
Such was the case of a 46-year-old man who is the subject of a case report in BMJ Open Gastroenterology, which suggests ABS may be more common than previously thought.1
The man in the case study was previously healthy until he received antibiotic therapy for a traumatic thumb injury. One week later, he started experiencing personality changes, including episodes of depression, brain fog and aggressive behavior.2 His primary care physician evaluated this uncharacteristic behavior and sent him to a psychiatrist, who prescribed medications.
Eventually, he was arrested because police officers believed he was driving while intoxicated; his blood alcohol level was 200 mg/dL. At this level, a person will typically appear drunk and may be severely visually impaired. Vomiting, incontinence and symptoms of alcohol intoxication can also occur at a blood alcohol level starting at 200 mg/dL.3
Both the medical personnel and the police refused to believe that the man had not consumed alcohol, and this is a common theme in cases of ABS. After seeing multiple doctors, both brewer's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and another type of yeast (Saccharomyces boulardii) were detected in the man's stool, and a diagnosis of ABS was made by monitoring his blood alcohol level following a meal of carbohydrates.
Treatment with antifungal drugs and a prescription for a carbohydrate-free diet were given, which worked to relieve the symptoms for a few weeks. Intermittent flare ups then began again, including one so severe it landed the man in the hospital due to a fall that caused intracranial bleeding. Even then, the case study noted, "the medical staff refused to believe that he did not drink alcohol despite his persistent denials."4
It wasn't until reading an online support group that the man contacted the researchers of the BMJ case study, who put him on a different antifungal therapy and, after its completion, started him on a probiotic that helped to restore his gut flora. According to the BMJ:5
"He was started on a probiotic (single-strain Lactobacillus acidophilus with 3 billion colony-forming units per capsule) to competitively inhibit fungi and help to normalise his gut flora. Carbohydrates were then gradually introduced in his diet, and a repeat carbohydrate challenge test was negative.
After 6 weeks, this probiotic was changed to a multi-strain probiotic, which contains 12 different bacterial organisms without any fungi. He has since continued this treatment. Approximately 1.5 years later, he remains asymptomatic and has resumed his previous lifestyle, including eating a normal diet while still checking his breath alcohol levels sporadically."
In this case study, the researchers believe the triggering event was the man's antibiotic therapy, which altered his microbiome allowing for the fungus to thrive. Along with stating that ABS is likely an underdiagnosed condition, the researchers noted, "We believe that our patient's symptoms were triggered by exposure to antibiotics, which resulted in a change in his gastrointestinal microbiome allowing fungal overgrowth."6
This may be the first time antibiotics have been linked to the disease, although other research that compared patients with ABS to a group of healthy controls found that those with ABS reported using antibiotics for a longer time.7 According to one review, antibiotics use, along with a diet high in processed foods, could be to blame:8
"A perturbation of the gut microbiome is the underlying condition that allows fermenting microbes to over-colonize. Such gut disturbances are caused by a diet high in carbohydrates and refined foods and the overuse of antibiotic and non-antibiotic drugs in food and medicine."
The use of probiotics to treat ABS is also an area that deserves further study, and it's possible that fecal transplants could offer a successful treatment. In the featured study, the researchers started out with a single-strain probiotic supplement in order to competitively inhibit fungal growth, and then switched to a multistrain probiotic after six weeks, in order to support a diverse microbiome.
Because this condition may occur more often than realized, the researchers suggested that anyone who has elevated blood alcohol levels or a positive Breathalyzer but denies alcohol ingestion should be investigated for ABS. Further, they noted that symptoms such as changes in mood, delirium and brain fog may occur early on, even before symptoms of alcohol inebriation develop.9
In 2015, a New York woman who was charged with a DUI after a Breathalyzer showed she had a blood alcohol level more than four times higher than the legal limit had the case dismissed after a court heard evidence that she suffers from ABS.10
In another ABS case, a 27-year-old man in China with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was found to have extremely high blood alcohol levels of about 400mg/L after consuming a high-carbohydrate (but alcohol-free) diet.11 In this case, it wasn't fungus that was driving the disease but bacteria known as Klebsiella pneumoniae.
The finding came after researchers compared samples of the man's feces with that from people with NAFLD as well as a healthy control group. The man had higher levels of K. pneumoniae in his feces than the other groups; at the height of his ABS symptoms, nearly 19% of the bacteria in his feces was K. pneumoniae, which is 900 times higher than normal.12
Further, strains of K. pneumoniae that could generate high amounts of alcohol were isolated from the man and were found to be higher in those with NAFLD compared to the healthy controls. In patients with NAFLD, 60% had high-alcohol producing strains of K. pneumoniae, compared with just 6% of the control group. When mice were fed the high-alcohol producing bacteria, they also developed signs of liver damage.13
"These results suggest that at least in some cases of NAFLD an alteration in the gut microbiome drives the condition due to excess endogenous alcohol production," the researchers concluded.14
People with ABS are more likely to suffer from additional health conditions, including diabetes, chronic intestinal obstruction or liver dysfunction, such as NAFLD and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
NAFLD is the most common chronic liver disease in developed countries,15 characterized by a buildup of excess fat in your liver that is not related to heavy alcohol use. NAFLD can progress to NASH, a more severe form of the condition that involves inflammation of the liver and liver cell damage in addition to the buildup of fat.16
People with NASH may go on to develop fibrosis, or scarring, of the liver, as well as cirrhosis of the liver, which in turn is linked to an increased risk of liver cancer (rates of liver cancer have been increasing over the last two decades).17,18
NAFLD often has no symptoms, although it may cause fatigue, jaundice, swelling in the legs and abdomen, mental confusion and more. In the early stages, NAFLD may be reversed by careful attention to diet and exercise, and choline intake may also play a significant role.
With NAFLD, the fatty liver occurs in the absence of significant alcohol consumption, and is driven instead by excess sugar. In cases of NAFLD, you need to eliminate processed fructose and other added sugars from your diet, which is also recommended for those with ABS.
Fructose affects your liver in ways that are very similar to alcohol. Unlike glucose, which can be used by virtually every cell in your body, fructose can only be metabolized by your liver, as your liver is the only organ that has the transporter for it.
Since all fructose gets shuttled to your liver, if you consume high amounts of it, fructose ends up taxing and damaging your liver in the same way alcohol and other toxins do. The way your liver metabolizes fructose is also very similar to that of alcohol,19 as both serve as substrates for converting carbohydrates into fat, which promotes insulin resistance, dyslipidemia (abnormal fat levels in the bloodstream) and fatty liver.
Fructose also undergoes the Maillard reaction with proteins, leading to the formation of superoxide free radicals that can result in liver inflammation similar to acetaldehyde, an intermediary metabolite of ethanol.
Reducing carbs to 50 grams for every 1,000 calories and increasing your intake of healthy fats is a powerful way to support your liver health and could likely benefit ABS as well, especially when combined with probiotics. As noted in one review:20
"An essential treatment of auto-brewery syndrome is diet modification requiring a high protein and low carbohydrates until symptoms subside. Sugar is fermented into alcohol, and a diet that eliminates simple and complex sugars will decrease the alcohol fermented from the gastrointestinal tract …
Multistrain probiotic supplements help balance bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract and have been used in the treatment of auto-brewery syndrome but have yet to be studied as a treatment … The risk of relapse of auto-brewery syndrome is lessened by avoiding carbohydrates."
While it's still unclear why some people develop ABS, it's associated with metabolic disturbances such as diabetes and obesity, and those affected "often report a high-sugar, high-carbohydrate diet."21 As mentioned, antibiotics use may also be a triggering factor, adding one more reason why their judicious use is important.
In another case study, a 45-year-old man with obesity and diabetes developed ABS symptoms, including vomiting, slurred speech, hallucinations and loss of consciousness after meals following treatment with two course of antibiotics for a deviated nasal septum and dental procedure. He was treated with an antifungal agent but also "responded dramatically" to a no-carbohydrate diet.22
If you or a loved one may be struggling with ABS, getting a correct diagnosis is crucial for recovery, as it's often mistaken for alcohol consumption, leading to social and legal problems that can affect jobs, relationships and more. Further, even after ABS symptoms have resolved, the long-term exposure to ethanol can lead to addiction and alcohol cravings, leading to drinking,23 which is why getting holistic help is crucial.
It wasn’t long ago that growing hemp in the U.S. could land you in jail on felony charges. But after decades of criminalization, hemp is once again legal thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, and the eco-friendly outdoor apparel and gear company, Patagonia, isn’t wasting any time in perfecting it its hemp-based clothing line.
The featured film, “Misunderstood: A Brief History of Hemp in the U.S.,” produced by Patagonia Films, shows the history of hemp in America, including why and how it was demonized for so many years. The film also highlights hemp’s various uses, including as a hearty textile that’s three times more durable than cotton.1
Patagonia has been using legally sourced hemp fiber in its clothing since 1997, blending it with other fibers such as recycled polyester, organic cotton or spandex. Its hemp is currently sourced from China, a country Patagonia says has been subsidizing hemp for generations.2
Hemp and its use dates back to the birth of America, but in China it dates back even further, where it’s said to have been used to make the world’s first rope around 2800 B.C. Hemp was also used for cigarette papers, Bible pages and military uniforms.
Today, China grows nearly half the world’s legal hemp. The majority of it is exported as a textile fiber,3 including to companies like Patagonia, which are in the business of making sustainable clothing with little-to-no environmental impact.
Like any other plant, hemp has its limitations, but compared to other plants it has some properties that stand out, said Elizabeth Pilon-Smits, professor of biology at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, in the film.
Hemp is valued for much more than its durability. When used for clothing, hemp is lightweight, absorbent and resistant to UV rays and mold, making it the perfect material for outdoor apparel. It has antimicrobial properties, too.
As a crop, hemp grows strong and fast. It requires little water and no pesticides. In about four to five months, hemp can grow taller than a person. Cultivating hemp is also good for the environment due to its ability to remediate the soil. Hemp can remove toxic chemicals and heavy metals from the soil in just one season, making it an effective plant for environmental cleanup, and to restore degraded land.
This was proven true when scientists used hemp in the 1990s to clean the soil following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Scientists later confirmed this use when hemp was shown to successfully extract heavy metals from the soil, including lead, cadmium and nickel.4
Shishir Goenka, founder of Fusion Clothing Company, which uses hemp for clothing, told the India Economic Times:5
"Hemp is one of the most versatile and sustainable crops on the planet. It can grow at the rate of sixteen feet in as little as one hundred days. Hemp is also a very eco-friendly crop, as it requires no pesticides and needs little water, yet it renews the soil with each growth cycle. Its long roots prevent erosion and help retain topsoil and grow readily in most temperate regions."
Hemp and its many uses are nothing new. The plant was used in the U.S. dating back to the 18th century, when America’s Founding Fathers cultivated hemp for industrial use. George Washington is said to have grown more than 100 hemp plants at his home in Mount Vernon, Virginia. It was so valuable that at one point, the Farm Bureau required all farmers to grow at least a quarter of an acre of hemp, according to the featured film.
In the 18th century, hemp was viewed as an important cash crop. People migrating from Europe to America traveled on ships with sails made of hemp. It was used for rope by navies around the world, and as a thick durable linen ideal for clothing and packaging heavy materials. Additionally, hemp seed oil was used in soaps, paints and varnishes.
If hemp has all these incredible uses, you might be wondering why it was banned in the U.S. for so many decades? The explanation has something to do with the fact that hemp looks nearly identical to its close cousin, cannabis. But don’t get the two confused because, unlike cannabis, hemp contains less than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
When asked in the film how hemp is different from marijuana, Alli La Pierre, a material developer for Patagonia, explained:
“It’s not the same at all. You will not get high if you smoke hemp. The plants look and smell the same. But hemp doesn’t have the psychoactive properties that marijuana does.”
Hemp activist Craig Lee of the Kentucky Hemp Growers Cooperative Association explained it perfectly in the featured film when he said that while hemp and cannabis are close cousins, the difference between them is like that between popcorn and sweetcorn.
The war on cannabis is well detailed in the documentary, “The Marijuana Revolution.” The film shows how marijuana was once regarded as a harmful and addictive drug used mainly among black jazz musicians and Mexican migrant workers.
Despite its controversial reputation, cannabis (similar to hemp) has a variety of benefits including medicinal properties that can be used to treat insomnia, menstrual cramps, nausea, muscle spasms and depression.
Modern research has only expanded on these health benefits, now recognizing marijuana as an effective treatment for cancer, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease and Tourette's syndrome, as well as a host of other diseases.
However, the concept of cannabis as a medicine quickly began to fade when people started using the plant as a recreational drug in the 20th century. Those frightened of marijuana began to demonize it, using provocative terms like "devil weed" and "drug addicted zombies" to deter people from smoking it.
Harry J. Anslinger, a former railroad cop and prohibition agent, was one of the first powerful voices to come out against the plant. He used fear mongering and racism to sway public opinion on cannabis, targeting minorities including African-Americans, Hispanics and Filipinos.
Anslinger described the average marijuana user as being a minority entertainer who relied on the drug to create "[s]atanic music, jazz and swing." He said the plant caused "white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others."
In 1963, the U.S. government funded the propaganda film "Reefer Madness," which warned that using marijuana just once could turn you into a drug-addicted zombie.
The authorities also changed the plant's name and began using the Spanish word "marijuana" in an effort to give it a negative connotation associated with Mexican migrant workers and other minorities. Shortly thereafter, the sale and use of cannabis in the U.S. was made illegal through the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937.
The legislation grouped hemp with cannabis, making hemp sales heavily taxed. The financial strain caused many hemp businesses to close and the hemp industry further declined.6 The rise of other industries, including cotton, wood pulp and plastic, also contributed to this decline.
World War II brought with it a brief boost for hemp, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture encouraging U.S. farmers to grow the plant and the government offering subsidies for hemp cultivation.
About 1 million acres of hemp were planted in the U.S. during that time, and the stiff fiber was used to make parachutes, uniforms, tarps and other products useful to the war industry. "After the war ended, the government quietly shut down all the hemp processing plants and the industry faded away again," the Hemp Industry Association noted.7
The final nail in the coffin came with the passage of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, which grouped hemp and marijuana together as Schedule 1 substances, a classification reserved for drugs with "high potential for abuse" and "no accepted medical use."
Three years later the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) was formed to enforce the newly created drug schedules, and the fight against marijuana and hemp use began.
In 2013, Colorado legalized industrial hemp farming for commercial and research purposes, provided the farmers verified the THC levels and paid for a permit. In 2014, the Farm Bill also included a section that allowed hemp cultivation for select research and pilot programs, and dozens of states introduced pro-hemp legislation to follow.
By 2017, nearly 26,000 acres of hemp were being grown in 19 states.8 Still, in a major waste of taxpayer dollars, the DEA would target hemp farmers. Ministry of Hemp noted that prior to the 2018 legalization:9
"[F]armers in all these states still risk being raided by the DEA, going to prison, and losing their property because the federal policy fail[ed] to distinguish non-drug oilseed and fiber varieties of industrial hemp from the psychoactive drug varieties (i.e., 'marijuana')."
Now that hemp has been legalized, it removes restrictions for crop insurance, banking and other barriers to farmers looking for a profitable crop. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who spearheaded the bill, believes hemp could replace tobacco as a new cash crop, stating:10
"At a time when farm income is down and growers are struggling, industrial hemp is a bright spot of agriculture's future. My provision in the Farm Bill will not only legalize domestic hemp, but it will also allow state departments of agriculture to be responsible for its oversight."
While hemp’s popularity as a fiber or textile is expected to rise, it’s most common use currently in the U.S. is cannabidiol (CBD) oil. CBD oil can be made from either marijuana or hemp, and it offers a host of health benefits.
The strongest research suggests that CBD oil may be effective for treating epilepsy, as it’s shown to reduce seizures, and in some cases, stop them altogether. CBD oil may also help with anxiety, insomnia, inflammation and chronic pain.11
From the moment hemp was legalized in the Farm Bill, CBD products seemed to have hit store shelves across the U.S. almost overnight. Today, CBD products can be found in a wide variety of retailers, ranging from health and wellness retailers to grocery stores12 and even apparel and accessories retailers. The CBD oil market is projected to rise from $591 million globally in 2018 to $22 billion worldwide by 2022.13
Given that Patagonia has been using hemp since 1997, it’s no surprise that its hemp-based clothing line is an impressive one. Patagonia’s hemp collection includes items for men and women such as tanks, shorts, pants, sweatshirts, jackets, overalls and even ballcaps — all made, at least in part, from hemp.
One of the coolest parts about hemp clothing is that it’s completely biodegradable, notes the film. In other words, you can throw hemp clothing into your compost pile or even your backyard and it will biodegrade back into the earth. That said, hemp’s ability to uptake heavy metals would make me think twice about using hemp clothing in compost destined to be used in an organic garden.
For a peek inside the hemp production process, check out these impressive photos Patagonia had photographer Lloyd Belcher take of one of their supply chain sources in China.
