medicalxpress.com
New research from the Cleveland Clinic reveals that consuming erythritol, a popular artificial sweetener, may significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke. The study found that erythritol makes platelets more active, leading to a higher risk of blood clot formation, a risk not observed with glucose. Published in Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, these findings suggest that erythritol, commonly found in low-calorie and "keto" products, may not be as safe as previously believed and should be reevaluated by food regulatory agencies.
The study builds on earlier research by the same team, which showed that cardiac patients with high erythritol levels were twice as likely to experience major cardiovascular events within three years. And in this new, controlled intervention involving healthy volunteers, erythritol consumption resulted in a dramatic increase in blood clot formation, raising concerns about its safety, particularly for individuals at high risk of thrombosis.
These findings highlight the need for long-term clinical studies to assess the cardiovascular safety of erythritol and other artificial sweeteners, especially given their widespread use in foods marketed as healthier alternatives to sugar.
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