A man’s rare condition caused him to ‘go grey’ when he gave up fast food
A man who grew to 19 stone due to his love of fast food has completely overhauled his body after discovering he actually has a rare condition that turns sugar into alcohol.
Gregroy Cole, 58, became addicted to fast food from an early age – regularly eating pizza, burgers and fries.
However, as he got older, he realized he was stuck in a cycle of losing weight only to gain it back, eventually reaching 19 stone.
In 1999, Cole suffered a herniated disc and was left in severe pain for a month before seeing a doctor, who told him he would have to lose weight if he wanted to get better.
Cole, from New Jersey in the United States, embarked on a diet and exercise regimen, but began to feel tired and bloated as well as suffering from “brain fog” and migraines.
Cole said: “I thought maybe I was training too much and burning the candle at both ends.
“I had a good diet, but my energy levels got worse and one day I could barely drag myself out of bed.
“My skin turned gray, I had body aches, my rosacea got worse and I caught colds frequently – my immunity was compromised.
“I went to see my doctor, who told me my blood work was good, but my vitamin D was low.
“At the same time, my neighbor told me about the progress she was making with her nutritionist, which is when I turned to them for help.”
He was told he had auto-brew syndrome – a rare condition where the body turns sugar into alcohol, which makes you drunk – so he decided to cut all sugar from his diet.
He said: “I didn’t even eat fruit – my diet consisted of green vegetables, fish, lamb and nuts.
“[After] one year, I regained optimal health and the majority of my ailments disappeared.
“My energy returned, the brain fog, body aches and bloating disappeared and my rosacea was cured.
“For the first time since my teenage years, I felt ecstatic – almost reborn.”
After receiving his diagnosis, Gregory completely changed his diet – ditching the sugar-rich junk food he used to opting for lean protein and vegetables.
He also got into bodybuilding and won the first contest he entered in 2018.
Cole hopes her story will inspire others, adding, “In the past, my body represented so many things – the state of my mental health, as well as my physical health.
“I remember the day I weighed myself and I was the heaviest. I took pictures and said one day I will have before and after pictures to show the world.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, because we are overweight and unhealthy for reasons beyond our control.
“It’s a marathon, not a race and it’s important to find out about the quality of the calories consumed.
“Once you cut out the sugar, you will see your hunger pains go away, trust me.
“If I can do it, you can do it.”
