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Popular sugar substitute linked to brain cell damage and stroke risk (www.sciencedaily.com)
submitted 1 year ago by to c/science@lemmy.world
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Erythritol, a widely used sugar substitute found in many low-carb and sugar-free products, may not be as harmless as once believed. New research from the University of Colorado Boulder reveals that even small amounts of erythritol can harm brain blood vessel cells, promoting constriction, clotting, and inflammation—all of which may raise the risk of stroke.

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[–] 133 points 1 year ago (15 children)

The authors caution that their study was a laboratory study, conducted on cells, and larger studies in people are needed.

Ok, nice to know, moving on.

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  • [–] 82 points 1 year ago (14 children)

    There are other studies using humans, see https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/erythritol-cardiovascular-events

    This sugar substitute is going to be the asbestos of sweeteners in the next few decades. And I find it remarkable it is in so many foods.

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  • [–] 18 points 1 year ago (11 children)

    I took a look at the two most famous colas and two fake colas, and the only sweeteners I was able to find were aspartame, acesulfame K, and sucralose. No sign of erythritol. I wonder if I've ever even seen a beverage with that stuff in it. However, I have seen bags of it sold in supermarkets, so apparently it isn't restricted in that sense.

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  • [–] 9 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    Where I am at (Texas) I find it in many sugar free yoghurts

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  • [–] 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

    No sign of erythritol.

    It's significantly more common in baked goods (because it's stable under oven temperatures) and extremely more common in "fitness" branded alternatives like low calorie yogurt, low calorie peanut butter, and so on.

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  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    I don't consume many sugar-free products, except Coke Zero Sugar. Not Coke Zero, but Coke Zero SUGAR. They are two separate products (which taste significantly different), and even servers in restaurants often don't know the difference. They've got to be phasing out the Zero in favor of the Zero SUGAR, became ZS tastes far better.

    Anyhoo, I've been wondering about the artificial sweetener they must be using for them, and now I'm wondering if it's this stuff. Your post seems to indicate that I'm in the clear.

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  • [–] 7 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    Just read the label or look it up.... What the fuck is this "I'm just gonna decide on it being this way without even lifting a finger even though all the info is readily available"? If it is that sweetener you're great proof that it does indeed damage brain cells and if not...then you're just this dumb naturally.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    Not dumb, just don't care. One advantage to getting old is that the dangerous stuff that takes years to kill you won't have the time to get you before you die anyway, so you can go wild. If it tastes better, I'll drink it. It'll kill me in 30 years? Yeah, but I'll be dead in 20, and it tastes good, so I don't care.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    I have seen a few people who are similar to that become old; struggling for decades with damage done to their bodies when younger.

    I am not judging others , just remarking the survival rate is high

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  • [–] -3 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    Ah, yes, it must not be common just because you randomly looked at two products. This is like saying "I just looked up two of the most famous people ever and both are white so therefore it means that non-white famous people don't exist".

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  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago

    Taken from top result on google, so obviously not the best source, with that said

    Seeing “sugar alcohols” in the ingredient list may be the only clue that erythritol is present in the food.

    So you can't necessarily even find it without some serious digging, so it doesn't matter if they picked 2 or 100 examples, if they don't clearly state it anyway.

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