Erythritol (E968), a relatively new sweetener, is used in various food products as an inhibitor of taste and texture alterations, a flavor enhancer, or a thickening agent.
What is erythritol?
Erythritol is a polyol, or sugar alcohol, used as a low-calorie alternative sweetener.
It is found naturally in some fruits like grapes and pears, but is also produced synthetically through the fermentation of glucose by specific yeasts.
Its particularity lies in the fact that it provides approximately 70% of the sweetness of common sugar (sucrose), but with almost no caloric intake, as it is not significantly metabolized by the body.
This makes it a popular option for those on low-sugar diets or for diabetics looking for alternatives with a reduced glycemic impact.
Is erythritol harmful? The effects on health and metabolism
Erythritol is generally considered safe for human consumption and is absorbed in the small intestine, then excreted through urine without undergoing significant metabolic transformations.
Unlike other sweeteners, it does not appear to alter blood sugar levels or stimulate insulin secretion, which also makes it suitable for people with diabetes.
However, recent studies have raised some concerns about possible long-term effects. In particular, some researchers have hypothesized a link between high levels of erythritol in the blood and an increased risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke, probably due to its effect on platelet reactivity and blood clotting.
Although the use of non-nutritive sweeteners such as erythritol, aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame has become widespread, few rigorous scientific reviews have evaluated the effects of these sweeteners on our bodies.
In fact, a recent review published in Endocrine Practice (AACE) titled "Artificial Sweeteners and Obesity - Not the solution and potentially a problem" argues that the arguments in favor of erythritol and other non-nutritive sweeteners are based primarily on thermodynamic considerations.
Despite growing scientific evidence that obesity and adiposity-related diseases are complex and cannot be explained solely in terms of pathophysiology.
How much erythritol instead of sugar?
One of the most interesting aspects of erythritol is its sweetening power, which is around 60-70% of that of traditional sugar, so to "feel" the same taste as sugar, you need to slightly increase the dose to a little more than a teaspoon.
Do sweeteners exacerbate chronic diseases?
One of the main problems is that there are individual differences in the ability to process nutritional signals.
Few studies have analyzed how these gender or disease predisposition differences might influence the effects of non-nutritive sweeteners.
Recent studies have shown that the use of non-nutritive sweeteners can worsen outcomes in patients suffering from adiposity-related diseases such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes.
Non-nutritive sweeteners alter the gut microbiota
Furthermore, it has emerged that chronic use of non-nutritive sweeteners can alter the intestinal microbiome.
Pushing the latter towards a more inflammatory pattern, regardless of weight or the presence of diseases.
This finding is concerning and raises questions about the safety of long-term use of non-nutritive sweeteners like erythritol.
Non-nutritive sweeteners alter the sense of satiety
Even more concerning is the fact that numerous studies have highlighted long-term damage.
Both related to neuro-hormonal control of satiety in individuals who chronically consume non-nutritive sweeteners.
This could have significant implications in the fight against obesity and adiposity-related metabolic diseases.
Further long-term studies are needed
Therefore, we should not unreservedly accept the use of non-nutritive sweeteners like erythritol based solely on a thermodynamic model and on the erroneous assumption that we are all biologically the same.
Long-term clinical studies are needed to investigate the effects of chronic erythritol consumption on body weight and the risk of developing metabolic diseases.
Is this new sweetener safe?
Further research and studies are needed to delve deeper into the effects of erythritol and other non-nutritive sweeteners on human health.
In the meantime, it is advisable to be cautious in the use of these sweeteners and try to reduce the intake of excess sugars and sweeteners, following a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
Always consult a health professional or nutritionist before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.
Artificial sweeteners like erythritol are widely used, but we know little about their long-term effects, especially regarding the risks of cardiometabolic diseases. A recent study examined the link between erythritol and the risk of serious heart conditions, called major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), such as heart attack and stroke.
Summary of a recent study on the correlation between erythritol and cardiovascular diseases:
- Initial study: In a study of 1,157 patients evaluated for cardiac risk, it was observed that high levels of erythritol in the blood were associated with an increased risk of MACE over the subsequent three years.
- Confirmation analysis: Subsequent studies on two other groups of patients (one of 2,149 people and the other of 833) confirmed that high erythritol levels were linked to a greater risk of serious cardiac events.
- Physiological effects: Laboratory tests showed that erythritol increases platelet reactivity (blood cells involved in clotting), promoting blood clot formation.
- Human study: In a small study of 8 healthy volunteers, ingestion of erythritol caused a significant increase in its blood levels, well beyond the thresholds considered dangerous for clot formation.
Conclusions
The results suggest that erythritol is associated with an increased risk of serious cardiac events, and may also promote blood clot formation.
Therefore, further studies are needed to assess the long-term safety of erythritol, but until then, our advice will remain to use foods and supplements free of artificial non-nutritive sweeteners like those from the swissnaturalmed line.
