The sweetener erythritol impacts brain cells which can increase the risk of stroke, new research has found.
The sugar substitute, which was approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration in 2001, is a sugar alcohol often made by fermenting corn.
Found in hundreds of products, it has become a favourite with people trying to lose weight or manage their blood sugar because it contains virtually no calories, is almost as sweet as sugar and has little effect on insulin levels.
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However, a previous study of 4,000 people revealed that those with greater levels of circulating erythritol were considerably more likely to have a heart attack or stroke within the next three years.
The findings prompted researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder to investigate what could be driving this increased risk.
For three hours, they treated human cells that line blood vessels in the brain with roughly the same amount of erythritol found in an average sugar-free drink.
They found that as a result, the cells changed in several significant ways:
- They expressed significantly less nitric oxide, which relaxes and widens blood vessels, and more endothelin-1, which constricts blood vessels
- When the cells were challenged with the clot-forming compound thrombin, produc-tion of the natural clot-busting compound t-PA was “markedly blunted”
- There was more production of reactive oxygen species “free radicals” which can damage cells and inflame tissue.
Senior author Professor Christopher DeSouza encouraged people to read labels, looking for erythritol or ‘sugar alcohol’, saying: “Our study adds to the evidence suggesting that non-nutritive sweeteners that have generally been purported to be safe, may not come without negative health consequences.”
First author and graduate student Auburn Berry added: “Big picture, if your vessels are more constricted and your ability to break down blood clots is lowered, your risk of stroke goes up. Our research demonstrates not only that, but how erythritol has the potential to increase stroke risk.”
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Professor DeSouza highlighted that their study only used a serving size amount of the sweetener, indicating that for people who consume multiple servings a day, the effect would presumably be worse.
He said: “Given the epidemiological study that inspired our work, and now our cellular findings, we believe it would be prudent for people to monitor their consumption of non-nutrient sweeteners such as this one.”
Read more in the Journal of Applied Physiology.
