Artificial Sweetener: New Data Shows Potential Association with Heart Attack and Stroke
Is there an association between erythritol and adverse cardiovascular events? Is the problem diet or metabolic? Let's talk about it!
BACKGROUND:
As society has made a transition from demonizing fats to being more cautious of processed foods and added sugars, there has been a surge in artificial sweetener use. Chief among them is erythritol, an artificial sweetener found in a variety of products including some of my favorite low-calorie ice creams and energy drinks. Erythritol is a sugar alcohol naturally created endogenously via the pentose-phosphate pathway in humans, and it also pops up naturally in some fruits and vegetables. Erythritol's claim to fame is its ability to sweeten foods at a fraction of the calories required to reach similar levels of sweetness with sucrose (table sugar). This has made it popular for weight loss and products marketed as "keto-friendly".
A recent study published in Nature Medicine assessed the association between circulating blood levels of erythritol with MACE (major adverse cardiovascular events) in adults.