A 40-year-old Belgian man was cleared of drunk driving charges on 22 April due to a unique metabolic condition.
The man was verified to have auto-brewery syndrome, a condition where his body produces its own alcohol.
According to Reuters, a Belgian court acquitted the 40-year-old man charged with drunk driving because he has a unique condition where the man’s body produces alcohol.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Anse Ghesquiere, his lawyer, told Reuters that three doctors had independently confirmed the condition.
Also known as “drunkenness disease”, auto-brewery syndrome is described by Healthline as a rare condition in which the body “turns sugary and starchy foods into alcohol”.
A person with this condition can exhibit symptoms as if they are drunk, even if they have not consumed alcohol.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Clinical biologist Lisa Florin with the Belgian hospital AZ Sint-Lucas told Reuters that the alcohol produced in the bodies of people with auto-brewery symptoms is similar to that of alcoholic drinks, but they experience less of its effects.
ABC News reported that the acquitted man had previous run-ins with police in 2019 and 2022 when his breathalyser tested well over the legal limit.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
At the time, he was not aware of his condition.
Ms. Ghesquiere added that “another unfortunate coincidence” is that her client also happened to work at a brewery.
In the ruling, the judge stressed that the man did not have symptoms of intoxication. Ms. Ghesquiere said that she and her client are now waiting for a formal notification of acquittal.
The man is now following a low-carbohydrate diet to prevent his body from producing more alcohol.
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Featured image adapted from Wikimedia Commons and Wikimedia Commons.