A popular sugar substitute used in many diet and keto products may increase your risk of heart attack.
A study by researchers at the Cleveland Clinic found that when people were given the sweetener erythritol, blood cells that cause clotting became more active.
This suggested that participants were at higher risk of developing clots, which could lead to heart attack and stroke.
When volunteers were given simple sugar, they did not notice this effect. “Healthy” sugars increased people’s risk of cardiovascular disease more than regular sugar.
Erythritol is found in products like Quest protein bars, unsweetened vitamin water, and Halo Top ice cream, as well as keto-friendly versions of sweets like Reece’s peanut butter cups.
Popular products containing erythritol include Monster sugar-free energy drinks, Halo Top ice cream, and Quest protein bars.
These findings are concerning because doctors often recommend these products to people who are already at risk for heart disease, said study author Dr. Stanley Hazen, chair of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences at the Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute.
“Cardiovascular disease develops over time and is the leading cause of death worldwide. We need to make sure that the foods we eat are not a hidden contributing factor,” said Dr. Hazen.
Erythritol is made from corn and is about 70 percent as sweet as sugar, but contains only six percent of the calories.
It is similar to other artificial sweeteners, known as sugar alcohols, which have also been linked to a number of health problems in recent years.
The researchers observed this effect in the laboratory by giving twenty volunteers water with erythritol or sugar and then analyzing their blood.
They found that when people were given erythritol, it caused platelets in their blood to become activated.
Platelets are blood cells that stick together to form clots.
In comparison, platelets did not react when volunteers consumed sugar water.
This showed that people who consume products sweetened with erythritol could have a higher risk of suffering heart attacks and strokes.
The authors cautioned that the study was small and that to establish a clearer relationship, they will need to perform these tests on more people.
This is not the first study to find a link between the sweetener and cardiovascular disease. Dr. Hazen’s previous research, which was published in Nature Medicine in 2023, showed that people who consumed erythritol were more likely to suffer additional hot flashes and strokes in the three years following the assessment.
Researchers suggest this may have to do with the way the product builds up in the body over time.
The body has a hard time processing this sweetener, so it is usually eliminated through urine.
The amount that is processed is stored in the body, where its effects can accumulate, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
While Dr. Hazen doesn’t recommend that you go out and consume excess sugar, he said his findings lead him to believe it may be better for you than sugar substitutes.
“I believe that choosing sugar-sweetened treats occasionally and in small amounts would be preferable to consuming beverages and foods sweetened with these sugar alcohols,” Dr. Hazen said.
