A recent study by the Cleveland Clinic found that erythritol, a commonly used artificial sweetener, is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
A Cleveland Clinic study found that erythritol, a popular artificial sweetener, is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Researchers studied more than 4,000 people in the US and Europe and found that people with higher blood levels of erythritol are at increased risk of serious heart disease, such as heart attack, stroke, or death.
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Also, scientists have studied the effects of adding erythritol to either whole blood or isolated platelets, which are fragments of cells that stick together to stop bleeding and promote blood clots. The results showed that erythritol facilitated platelet activation and thrombus formation. Preclinical studies have also confirmed that taking erythritol increases their formation.
Erythritol is a type of sugar alcohol that is often used as a low-calorie sweetener in a variety of foods and drinks. It has about 70% the sweetness of regular sugar, but contains only a fraction of the calories. Erythritol is also often used in sugar-free and diabetic products because it does not significantly increase blood sugar or insulin levels.
“The popularity of sweeteners like erythritol has grown rapidly in recent years, but more research is needed into their long-term effects,” said senior author Stanley Hazen, MD, head of the Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences at the Lerner Research Institute, and also director of preventive cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic, “Cardiovascular disease accumulates over time, and heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. We need to make sure that the foods we eat are not hidden sources of disease.”
Artificial sweeteners such as erythritol often replace table sugar in low-calorie, low-carb, and “keto” foods. Sugar-free products containing erythritol are often recommended for people with obesity, diabetes, or metabolic syndrome who are looking for options to help control their sugar or calorie intake. People with these conditions are also at higher risk for cardiovascular disease such as heart attack and stroke.
Erythritol is produced by fermenting corn. After oral administration, erythritol is poorly metabolized in the body. Instead, it enters the bloodstream and leaves the body primarily in the urine. The human body naturally produces small amounts of erythritol, so any additional intake may be excessive.
Measurement of artificial sweeteners is difficult, and labeling requirements are minimal and often do not include individual compounds. Erythritol is recognized as “generally recognized and safe”, meaning there is no need for long-term safety studies.
The authors note the importance of follow-up studies to confirm their results in the general population. The study had several limitations, including that observational studies demonstrate an association rather than a causal chain.
“Our study shows that when participants consumed an artificially sweetened drink with as much erythritol as found in many processed foods, there were markedly elevated levels of erythritol in the blood for several days, well above the levels associated with an increased risk of blood clotting.” Hazen said, “It is important that further safety studies be conducted to examine the long-term effects of artificial sweeteners in general, and erythritol in particular, on the risk of heart attack and stroke, especially in people at increased risk of cardiovascular disease.”
Focus has previously written about how sweeteners cause anxiety that is genetically passed on to the next generation. The study showed that the daily dose of this artificial sweetener causes anxiety not only in those who consume it, but also in their offspring.
