If you use zero-calorie sweeteners, you might want to know about a recent study that links one of these sweeteners, erythritol, to an increased risk of blood clots.
When a clot blocks blood flow to the heart, it can cause a heart attack. If a clot blocks blood flow to the brain, it can lead to a stroke.
So, before you grab that sweetener packet, you might want to think twice.
What Is Erythritol?
Erythritol is a sugar alcohol commonly used in zero-calorie sweeteners. It’s found in many products, like sugar-free gum, drinks, and desserts, because it gives sweetness without adding calories.
It’s about 60-80% as sweet as regular sugar, so it can replace sugar in recipes and foods for people looking to cut back on calories or manage blood sugar levels. (ref)
When you consume erythritol, your body doesn’t fully absorb it. Most of it passes through your digestive system without being processed, which is why it doesn’t contribute to extra calories. However, even though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified erythritol as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) for most people, (ref) some studies trigger health warnings about possible health risks, like blood clots.
Study Suggests Erythritol May Contribute to Blood Clot Formation
A recent study suggests that erythritol could form blood clots. Dr. Stanley Hazen, a heart expert at the Cleveland Clinic, led this research. He wanted to understand why some people still face risks of heart attacks and strokes, even when they control factors like high cholesterol, blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and smoking.
Despite managing these issues, about half of those treated still face what experts call “residual cardiovascular risk.”
For the study, Dr. Hazen’s team analyzed blood samples from people who were being checked for heart health risks. They tracked over 4,000 people in the U.S. and Europe for three years. they found that those with higher erythritol levels in their blood had a greater risk of serious heart problems, like heart attack, stroke, or death. (ref)
To further explore this, researchers tested erythritol in animals and human blood samples in the lab. Both the animal tests and lab studies confirmed that erythritol might make it easier for clots to form, though more research is needed to fully understand how this happens. (ref)
In 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviewed this study about possible heart effects from eating erythritol. They found that the study didn’t prove that erythritol directly causes these effects. The FDA will keep monitoring for new information on erythritol and other sweeteners. (ref)
What Do Other Studies Say about Erythritol?
In a 2017 study, Karsten Hiller and colleagues found that Cornell University freshmen with high erythritol levels in their blood at the start of their first year gained more weight than those with lower levels. Erythritol can also turn into an acid called erythronate, which is often found in the tissues of people with cancer. (ref)
Early safety studies on erythritol only looked at short-term effects, showing that the body quickly removes it. However, researcher Martha Field and Semira Ortiz did a study on mice to see what happens with long-term use.
The researchers fed mice high amounts of erythritol for eight weeks and found that the mice kept very high levels of erythritol in their blood—30 times the normal amount—for at least five hours. (ref)
While more research is needed to fully understand how erythritol might affect the heart, staying informed can help you make the best choices for your health. If you’re concerned, talk to your doctor about safe options for sweetening your foods and drinks.
Source:
Don’t Miss These:
Wood Burners Beat Traffic as Top Pollution Source, Study Shows
13 Rare Plants That Could Disappear From Gardens Worldwide
Labyrinths Aren’t Relics—6 Reasons They’re Timeless and Thriving
Fig Leaves Are the New Superfood: 4 Key Benefits
This Rare Succulent Is Cute, Coveted—and Facing a Crisis
17 Reasons Baby Boomers Aren’t Joining the Downsizing Trend
The Timeless Appeal of Kitchen Gardens: Survival, Status, and Revival
History’s Guardians: 15 Castles That Time Couldn’t Defeat
Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.