Scientists sound the alarm.
A study published Tuesday, February 27 in the journal Nature Medicine associate the consumption of an artificial sweetener to an increased risk of myocardial infarction and stroke. The research, led by the Cleveland Clinic (Ohio, USA) and involving more than 4,000 people in the USA and Europe, found that people with high levels of erythritol in their blood have a higher risk of having a heart attack. The study also confirmed that erythritol facilitates the activation of platelets (the cells responsible for stopping bleeding in the body) and therefore the formation of blood clots.
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What is erythritol ?
Resulting from the fermentation of corn sugar, theerythritol is about 70% sweeter than sugar and is used as an alternative to sugar or saccharin because it does not provide calories or carbohydrates. It’s a sweetener naturally present in many fruits and vegetables. Products containing erythritol are often recommended for people suffering from obesity, diabetes or metabolic syndrome (disorders related to the presence of excess fat inside the belly) to avoid their consumption of sugar or calories.
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“Our study shows that when participants consumed an artificially sweetened beverage with an amount of erythritol found in many processed foodsmarkedly elevated levels were seen in their blood for days, levels well above those seen to increase the chances of clotting.”explains Stanley Hazen, lead author of the study.