Popular sugar substitute linked to brain damage and stroke risk
Why it matters: That 'healthy' sugar substitute in your diet drink might be putting your brain at serious risk.
- Erythritol is a widely used sugar alcohol, approved by the FDA in 2001, popular in diet foods due to its low-calorie content and minimal impact on insulin levels.
- University of Colorado Boulder research demonstrates that erythritol disrupts brain blood vessel cells, reducing nitric oxide production (which relaxes vessels) and increasing endothelin-1 (which tightens them).
- The study also found that erythritol exposure impairs the cells' ability to produce t-PA, a natural clot-breaking compound, and generates higher levels of harmful reactive oxygen species.
- Previous large studies involving 4,000 individuals in the U.S. and Europe have already linked higher blood erythritol levels to an increased likelihood of heart attack or stroke within three years.
New research from the University of Colorado Boulder reveals that the popular sugar substitute erythritol, commonly found in diet and keto products, may significantly increase the risk of stroke by damaging brain blood vessel cells. The study, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, found that erythritol impairs blood vessel relaxation, promotes oxidative stress, and hinders the body's ability to break down clots, even at typical consumption levels.
