Erythritol May Raise Stroke Risk 2-Fold by Damaging Brain Barrier Cells
Updated
Updated · ScienceAlert · May 11
Erythritol May Raise Stroke Risk 2-Fold by Damaging Brain Barrier Cells
1 articles · Updated · ScienceAlert · May 11
University of Colorado researchers found erythritol exposure at levels seen after one soft drink damaged blood-brain barrier cells, a mechanism that could make clot-driven strokes more likely.
Lab tests showed a double hit: oxidative stress rose while antioxidant defenses fell, and the sweetener cut nitric oxide while boosting endothelin-1, leaving vessels more constricted.
The study also found erythritol blunted release of tissue plasminogen activator, the body's natural clot-busting response, potentially allowing blockages to persist in brain vessels.
Human evidence already points the same way: one large observational study found people with the highest erythritol blood levels were about twice as likely to suffer a major cardiac event.
The findings remain preliminary because they came from isolated cells rather than whole vessels, but they add scrutiny to a sweetener approved by US and European regulators and used in thousands of sugar-free products.
Is your 'healthy' sugar-free habit secretly increasing your risk of a stroke?
If erythritol is FDA-approved, why do new studies link it to serious heart and brain risks?
Erythritol and Stroke Risk: New Evidence Links Popular Sweetener to Increased Cardiovascular Events
Overview
Recent research in early 2023 has raised concerns about erythritol, a common sugar substitute, suggesting it may increase the risk of stroke. Studies from the University of Colorado found that erythritol can impair important functions in human brain blood vessel cells, which may compromise the brain’s protective barrier and elevate the risk of ischemic stroke. These cellular changes help explain why higher levels of erythritol in the bloodstream are linked to a greater risk of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke. This new evidence highlights the need for caution with erythritol consumption.