Common Sweetener Could Be Detrimental to Brain and Heart Health

April 30, 2025 TruthUSA

Erythritol might influence blood vessel function, but experts stress that these findings are preliminary and necessitate further examination.

Recent studies indicate that a widely-used low-calorie sugar alternative, typically considered a healthy option, may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Results from cell studies, presented at the 2025 American Physiology Summit, are yet to undergo peer review or publication. They suggest that erythritol—commonly found in candies and baked goods—could impact blood vessel function.

Researchers cautioned that the sweetener may hinder the brain’s capacity to produce a vital compound necessary for maintaining healthy blood flow. However, they emphasized that more extensive studies are required before making definitive safety determinations.

Increase in Oxidative Stress

In this study, researchers found that human brain cells exposed to erythritol showed heightened oxidative stress, which is the imbalance in the body between free radicals and antioxidants. This imbalance can lead to various adverse health outcomes, including chronic diseases such as cardiovascular issues, neurodegenerative conditions, cancer, and inflammatory diseases.

Moreover, these cells generated lower amounts of nitric oxide following exposure to erythritol. Nitric oxide is crucial for enabling blood vessels to expand; thus, its reduction may elevate the risk of heart attacks and strokes, according to the authors.

“The study utilized a well-established model of human brain endothelial cells, which is highly relevant for examining cerebrovascular effects,” stated Auburn Berry, a graduate student at the University of Colorado–Boulder and lead author of the study, in an interview with The Epoch Times.

Berry acknowledged several limitations of the study, noting that the findings were limited to in vitro conditions that may not entirely represent actual physiological responses. The study examined a short-duration exposure of three hours, leaving the long-term effects of erythritol consumption unclear, and only one concentration of erythritol was tested, which limits understanding of the dose-response relationship.

However, she pointed out that the concentrations of erythritol tested were “physiologically relevant” and closely reflected real-world dietary exposure.

“The main takeaway from our research is that nonnutritive sweeteners like erythritol may have adverse health impacts,” Berry said, stressing the importance for individuals to be mindful of their daily erythritol intake.

These findings echo previous research indicating that individuals with higher erythritol levels in their bodies had an increased likelihood of experiencing major adverse cardiac events within three years. However, that study identified only an association without proving causation.

A follow-up study from the same researchers at the Cleveland Clinic discovered that erythritol activates blood cells responsible for clotting.

Erythritol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol. Despite being derived from sugar, it neither behaves like sugar nor alcohol. It provides sweetness without elevating blood sugar levels and is low in calories, making it a favored substitute in processed foods.

The body also naturally generates erythritol as a byproduct of glucose metabolism, albeit in minimal quantities.

“Eating processed foods with sugar alcohols can easily lead to higher consumption levels that exceed what is considered safe,” Emily Feivor, a registered dietitian at Northwell Health, informed The Epoch Times. “Erythritol is often present at concentrations at least 1,000 times higher than the natural levels found in food or within our bodies.”

Feivor also highlighted the difficulty in identifying products containing erythritol since the Food and Drug Administration considers it safe and does not mandate clear labeling.

In addition to processed foods, erythritol naturally exists in various fruits such as grapes, pears, and melons, as well as in fermented products like soy sauce, beer, and wine. However, the quantities found in these fruits and fermented items are significantly lower than those in commercially produced erythritol sweeteners.

More Research Needed

Dr. Charles Dinerstein, medical director at the American Council on Science and Health, stated that drawing “meaningful conclusions” from the findings is challenging, noting that the study has not yet been publicly released and only limited information was provided in the press release.

He pointed out various limitations in the research, including doubts about the duration of cell exposure to erythritol and whether the experimental conditions accurately represent the effects of consuming the sweetener.

“The analysis involved cerebral microvascular cells, which are crucial to the blood-brain barrier’s integrity. Thus, linking this to an increased risk of heart attack is a leap in pathophysiology,” Dinerstein commented. He considered the connection to stroke to be more plausible.

Given that the brain possesses a blood-brain barrier designed to shield it from harmful substances in the bloodstream, and the inherently fat-based nature of the brain makes it challenging for water-soluble molecules like erythritol to penetrate, further investigation is essential to ascertain the health implications of erythritol within the body.

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