by A new study suggests that a popular artificial sweetener found in everything from beverages and baked goods to gum and candy may be linked to a higher risk of blood clots, but the researchers themselves say their findings are preliminary and more research is needed to understand the potential health risks.
Erythritol, a zero-calorie sweetener widely used in sugar-reduced or sugar-replacement products, increases levels of proteins associated with blood clotting compared to regular sugar, according to a new study published Thursday in the medical journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.
“This study raises concerns that a standard serving of an erythritol-sweetened food or beverage may acutely stimulate a direct clot-forming effect,” study co-author W. H. Wilson Tang, MD, director of heart failure and cardiac transplantation research at Cleveland Clinic, said in a statement announcing the study results. “Erythritol and other sugar alcohols that are commonly used as sugar substitutes should be evaluated for potential long-term health effects, particularly when such effects are not seen with glucose itself.”
For the study, 10 people were randomly assigned to drink water mixed with 30 grams of erythritol, while another 10 people were randomly assigned to drink water mixed with 30 grams of glucose.
The 30-gram amount was chosen because that’s the amount commonly found in foods containing erythritol, according to the Cleveland Clinic researchers who led the study.
People who drank water mixed with erythritol found higher levels of proteins involved in platelet aggregation in their bloodstream 30 minutes later than those who drank glucose.
Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that occurs naturally in fruits such as watermelons, pears and grapes, but has since been turned into a food additive used to sweeten and enhance the flavor of foods, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
According to researchers at the Cleveland Clinic, erythritol is produced by the fermentation of corn.
Consuming large amounts of sugar carries its own risks.
Due to the growing obesity epidemic, artificial sweeteners are increasingly found in soft drinks, “diet” foods, and other processed products. Although federal regulators like the FDA have deemed most artificial sweeteners safe, studies are ongoing into their long-term health effects.
A previous study of erythritol by researchers at the Cleveland Clinic found that higher levels of erythritol were observed in patients who experienced a major adverse cardiovascular event — which includes stroke, heart attack, blood clots and cardiovascular death — over a three-year observation period.
Last year, the World Health Organization issued a new recommendation that people trying to lose weight should avoid using sugar-free, zero-calorie sweeteners.
Sugar-free, zero-calorie sweeteners have not been shown to contribute to long-term weight loss in children or adults, and their use may lead to side effects such as an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and death in adults, the WHO said at the time.
When looking for sugar substitutes like stevia, look for raw or extracted products. “Stevia-labeled” products and “all-purpose sugar-free” sweeteners are combined with other agents like erythritol as a bulking agent.
Dr. Jennifer Miao is a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.
Dr. Darien Sutton contributed to this report.
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