New research flags health risks linked to erythritol sugar substitute
Cells exposed to the sweetener in one beverage serving had higher levels of oxidative stress, heightening susceptibility to aged, damaged cells and inflamed tissues.
U.S.A – Erythritol, a commonly used non-nutritive sugar substitute, has been linked to adverse brain cell effects, potentially raising the risk of stroke.
The substitute is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol found in plants and commercially produced through the fermentation of corn or wheat, and was first approved by the US FDA in 2001.
To investigate its potential effects, researchers, DeSouza and first author Auburn Berry, a graduate student in his lab, treated cells from the tiny blood vessels in the brain with a serving-size worth of Erythritol for three hours.
The study found that the cells exposed to the amount of sweetener in one beverage serving had higher levels of oxidative (cellular) stress, heightening susceptibility to ageing, damaged cells and inflamed tissues.
The cells also produced less nitric oxide, a compound that helps blood vessels relax and widen, and more endothelin-1, a protein that constricts blood vessels.
Reduced nitric oxide levels can impair vasodilation and blood flow, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
“While erythritol is widely used in sugar-free products marketed as healthier alternatives, more research is needed to fully understand its impact on vascular health,” said Auburn Berry, a graduate student at the University of Colorado Boulder and first author of the study.
The researchers encourage consumers to consistently monitor their consumption of non-nutrient sweeteners, such as this one, using the epidemiological study that inspired the team’s research and their subsequent cellular findings.
“In general, people should be conscious of the amount of erythritol they are consuming on a daily basis,” Auburn added.
Erythritol is 30% less sweet than sucrose, with negligible calories, and is used as a beneficial replacement for sugar in healthy and diabetic subjects.
Due to Erythritol’s insignificant impact on glucose or insulin, it induces gut hormone secretions that modulate satiety, hence, also a go-to for people trying to lose weight.
The sugar substitute is applied across numerous sugar-free products, including low-carb ice cream, protein bars, sugar-free sodas and energy drinks.
The authors recommend further clinical studies, including on people, considering that their’s was a laboratory study conducted on cells.
The University of Colorado study was published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.
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