Consuming too much sugar has been linked to a host of health problems, from obesity to heart disease. But at least one sugar substitute might not be any better for you.
Erythritol — a sugar alcohol found in hundreds of products ranging from sugar-free soda to low-carb ice cream — appears to have a negative impact on cells that line blood vessels in the brain, which can raise the risk of stroke, according to a recent study from the University of Colorado Boulder.
The sugar alcohol is made from fermenting corn and is about 80% as sweet as table sugar. It has almost no calories and has little impact on insulin levels. Those facts have made erythritol a favorite among people trying to lose weight or keep blood sugar levels where they should be.
Researchers at the University of Colorado used lab experiments to treat human cells lining blood vessels in the brain (called endothelial cells) with an amount of erythritol that one would expect to find in a sugar-free drink.
After three hours of exposure to such levels of erythritol, the cells created less nitric oxide, a molecule that helps widen and relax blood vessels. On the other hand, the cells created more endothelin-1, a protein that constricts blood vessels.
Additional negative effects appeared, including a reduced ability for cells to break down blood clots and a boost in the cells’ production of free radicals, which are known to age and damage cells and inflame tissue.
The study results were published in a scientific journal of the American Physiological Society. In a summary of the study findings, co-author Auburn Berry said:
“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.”
The University of Colorado study is not the first to find an association between consumption of erythritol and adverse health consequences. We reported on similar findings out of the Cleveland Clinic in the story “Popular Sweetener Linked to Strokes, Heart Attacks, Blood Clots.”
The University of Colorado study authors caution that their findings were limited to the laboratory and that larger studies in people are now required to confirm their findings.
Still, if the findings hold up, they should serve as a red flag, particularly for those who consume multiple daily servings of products with erythritol.
If you want to avoid erythritol, check labels carefully and look for the words “erythritol” or “sugar alcohol.”
For more on sugar substitutes linked to negative health effects, check out “5 Artificial Sweeteners Tied to Strokes, Blood Clots and Worse.”
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