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Erythritol sweetener linked to increased cardiovascular risk, study finds


A study published in Nature points out the dangers for those already suffering from heart problems

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Substitutes considered lighter than ordinary sugar, artificial sweeteners are widely used by those who want to lose weight or have restrictions imposed by health conditions, such as diabetic patients.

A recent study published in the journal Nature Medicine indicates that the use of a specific substitute, erythritol, may be linked to increased risks of damage to the heart and blood vessels in people who already have some type of cardiovascular disorder.

But before we ditch the jar of sweetener, it’s worth mentioning that while initial results indicate a relationship, the researchers caution that more studies are needed and the participants they analyzed had a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease, so the application of the findings to the general population has yet to be scrutinized further.

How the study was done

Scientists at the Cleveland Clinic, located in Ohio, USA, evaluated data from more than four thousand Americans and Europeans undergoing routine cardiac evaluation.

The researchers noted that those who had higher levels of erythritol in their blood also had a higher chance of experiencing cardiac events.

In preclinical studies, they also found data suggesting that taking erythritol increases blood clot formation.

In a public statement, Stanley Hazen, a Cleveland Clinic cardiologist involved in the study, called for more research into the sweeteners.

erythritol

“The incidence of cardiovascular disease is increasing over the years and heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. We need to make sure that the food we eat is not a hidden factor.”

Hazen said his team’s initial goal wasn’t to study artificial sweeteners, but rather to find chemicals in the blood that identified “who was at risk of a future heart attack, stroke or death in the next three years.”

The compound that indicated this, according to Hazen, “turned out to be erythritol.” His team then designed an experiment, independently tested their hypotheses and replicated the results.

Dr. Durval Ribas Filho, president of ABRAN (Brazilian Association of Nutrology), said the study – in which he was not involved – was able to analyze a large number of patients and demonstrate important changes.

“The important thing about this study is that it showed an increase in platelet reactivity in vitro but also formation of thrombosis liveso this is certainly directly related to stroke and cardiovascular disease,” says Ribas Filho, nutritionist and endocrinologist.

“And that makes us a little concerned about erythritol, which, compared to the others, is newer. Maybe that’s why there haven’t been as many studies proving these possible side effects.”

“But it is important to remember that a single scientific work is not sufficient to prove the action of a certain food, a certain medicine, a certain drug. I think it is important that other studies be done, but (this study) is a warning sign with all certainty.”

In a statement, ABIAD (Brazilian Association of Food Industry for Special Purposes and the like) stressed that “the reported study was based on people who already had previous cardiovascular problems.”

‘It would be necessary to investigate whether the effects are observed in healthy people over the long term. Furthermore, (the experiments) used different amounts than those recommended for common use. Therefore, the results are not conclusive,’ wrote the press office of the ‘body.

“Two systematic reviews and recent meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials and observational studies, both in humans, have indicated potential cardiometabolic benefits when low-calorie or low-calorie sweetened beverages are used in place of sugary products by people who live with or are at risk of obesity or diabetes”.

“Low-calorie or non-calorie sweeteners are among the most researched ingredients worldwide. Before being approved for use in the market, all of them have undergone a comprehensive safety evaluation by the relevant regulatory authority, such as Anvisa in Brazil (National Health Surveillance Agency),” reads the ABIAD note.

Source: Terra

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