Research has shown that erythritol, which is used as a substitute for sugar and is the main ingredient in zero-calorie foods, increases the risk of blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes.
According to CNN in the United States on the 27th (local time), Dr. Stanley Hazen of the Cleveland Clinic Runner Institute in the United States published an international journal ‘Nature Medicine’ that people with risk factors for heart disease can have a heart attack if the blood erythritol level is high. It also doubled the risk of stroke.
Dr. Hazen said, “People with blood erythritol levels in the top 25 percent had twice the risk of heart attack or stroke as those in the bottom 25 percent.”
The research team analyzed the blood of 1,157 Americans with risk factors for heart disease collected between 2004 and 2011 to find risk enzymes that could cause heart attack, stroke, and death within the next three years among unknown chemicals in the blood.
Dr. Hazen’s blood analysis uncovered a substance that appears to play a major role in heart disease. However, he did not know what the substance was at the time. After further analysis, he found that the substance was erythritol, a sweetener.
To verify this, the research team additionally analyzed the blood of 2,100 Americans and 833 people collected in Europe by 2018, and found that high blood erythritol levels in all groups were associated with a risk of heart attack, stroke, and death within three years. Confirmed. In animal experiments, it was found that erythritol increases thrombosis, which is the cause of myocardial infarction and stroke, or induces blood clotting.
The research team explained, “It seems that erythritol causes platelets to coagulate, making blood clots easier to form.” If a blood clot breaks off and travels to the heart through the blood vessels, it can cause a heart attack, and if it flows to the brain, it can cause a stroke.
“There seems to be a risk of blood clotting with the use of erythritol,” said Andrew Freeman, Ph.D., of Denver National State Health (NJH), who was not involved in the study. It would make sense,” he said.
“There is enough data to tell people who are at risk of blood clots, heart attack or stroke, such as those who already have heart disease or diabetes, to stay away from erythritol until further research results are available,” Dr. Hazen said.
But Robert Rankin, executive director of the Calorie Control Council (CCC), which advocates the use of erythritol, said, “This contradicts decades of research that low-calorie sweeteners like erythritol are safe.” Because they are the people who have it, this result should not be extended to the general public.”
Professor Oliver Jones of RMIT University in Australia, who was not involved in the study, also pointed out that “while the research team found a link between erythritol and blood clotting, this is not conclusive evidence that such a link exists.”
Erythritol is a type of sugar alcohol, a natural carbohydrate found in many fruits and vegetables, just like sorbitol and xylitol. This substance has a sweet taste corresponding to 70% of sugar and has 0 kcal. Erythritol, artificially produced in large quantities, does not have a long aftertaste, does not raise blood sugar levels, and is known to cause less diarrhea than other sugar alcohols.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.