WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - According to a recent study by the Cleveland Clinic published in the journal Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, the use of erythritol, a common artificial sweetener, may be linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular events, like heart attacks and strokes.
The study involved 20 participants who fasted overnight before having their blood sampled in the morning. They were then given a beverage containing either 30 grams of erythritol or 30 grams of sugar, and their blood samples were taken again after 30 minutes.
The results showed that erythritol levels in the bloodstream increased significantly after consuming the erythritol-laden drink, while blood glucose levels only slightly increased after the sugar-containing beverage. These findings suggested that erythritol consumption may increase platelet hyper-responsiveness, raising the risk of blood clot formation and potential cardiovascular problems.
Stanley Hazen, the senior author of the study said, 'Many professional societies and clinicians routinely recommend that people at high cardiovascular risk-those with obesity, diabetes or metabolic syndrome-consume foods that contain sugar substitutes rather than sugar. These findings underscore the importance of further long-term clinical studies to assess the cardiovascular safety of erythritol and other sugar substitutes.'
He also recommended considering the occasional consumption of small amounts of sugar-sweetened treats over products sweetened with sugar alcohols, especially for individuals at higher risk of blood clot formation, such as those with heart disease, diabetes, or metabolic syndrome.
This research is part of Hazen's broader investigation into the factors contributing to ongoing cardiovascular risk and the effects of common sugar substitutes.
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