The man who … gets drunk on French fries

Nick Hess suffers from an extremely rare disease. Although the man does not drink alcohol, he is often drunk. Doctors could not explain his mysterious ailment for a long time.

Nick Hess’s situation was not the most interesting for a long time. All relatives, including his wife, suspected that the man was an alcoholic. No wonder Nick showed intoxication almost every day: he gurgled, staggered, and the ethanol could be felt in his breath.

The man was close to despair. It is hardly surprising – although no one ever caught him drinking alcohol, everyone thought he was a hidden alcoholic and consuming alcohol when no one sees him. My wife regularly checked every nook and cranny of the house for empty bottles, but never found anything.

Meanwhile, almost every day for Nick was the same. In the morning the man vomited as if he had spent the previous evening at a party in a bar. In the evening, sometimes just watching TV, he began to feel intoxicated and went to bed like that. Once his wife recorded him on such an evening, the next day he could not believe what condition he was in.

Nick’s mysterious ailment only cleared up when the man was hospitalized. Although he had no access to alcohol, the procedure was repeated. It was only this that made everyone, including doctors, believe that he was not an alcoholic.

A number of studies have been carried out, and it quickly emerged that Nick’s digestive tract behaves like a fermentation pot. His stomach was full of yeast that did fermentation. It was enough for the man to eat a meal containing a large amount of carbohydrates – e.g. French fries – and the yeast in his stomach converted it into alcohol, which was then absorbed in the intestine.

Fortunately, this condition can be successfully treated. The therapy is given with a substance called fuconazole, which has an antifungal effect. After the therapy, Nick will be able to lead a normal life.

Based on: http://www.mirror.co.uk/

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