According to new research, erythritol, an artificial sweetener, has a substantial link to heart attack and stroke.
If you’re one of the estimated 141 million Indians who use artificial sweeteners on a regular basis, you might be adding a surprise risk factor for stroke and heart attack to your morning cup.
According to a study, yes, especially if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease and your sweetener contains erythritol. This natural compound is used in a variety of sugar substitutes, including stevia and monk fruit sweeteners, as well as as an additive in various keto and low-carb foods that people with chronic health issues frequently seek out because, unlike regular refined sugar, erythritol does not spike insulin levels or pack on the calories.
The FDA recognised its usage as a safe food additive in 2001, and erythritol is an ingredient in many popular goods, including ice cream, soy sauce, protein bars, and others. However, a new study suggests that those who use this sweetener should reconsider.
What Exactly Is Erythritol?
According to Food Insight, an information hub curated by food safety experts from the International Food Information Council, erythritol is a type of carbohydrate known as a sugar alcohol or polyol, a naturally sweet, water-soluble compound found in many fruits, vegetables, and fermented foods. It has no calories and can be generated commercially by fermentation, making erythritol a popular and well-studied sugar alternative.
The Results of the Erythritol Study
Researchers have discovered a strong link between those who consumed erythritol and people who had life-threatening cardiovascular events (specifically heart attack and stroke).
“Our findings suggest that an elevated erythritol level nearly doubled the risk of a heart attack or stroke,” Dr. Soumya Hullannavar (Lead Ayurveda Endocrine Specialist at Diabetes Reversal Clinics & EliteAyurveda Clinics) explains. “This puts it on par with the most potent existing cardiovascular risk factors.” (For background, 30 grams of erythritol, or the equivalent of a pint of keto ice cream, “was enough to make blood levels of erythritol go up a thousandfold,” according to Dr. Soumya.)
However, it is unclear whether the study’s findings should be applied to the general population because approximately 75% of its participants had some form of heart disease, 20% had diabetes, and more than half were in their 60s and 70s—factors that all come with their own documented risks for heart attack or stroke.
101 on Stroke and Heart Attack
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart attacks are widespread in the Indians, with close to 700,000 individuals dying from one in 2020 (the most recent numbers available), accounting for 20% of all Indian deaths. They happen when your arteries, which carry oxygen-rich blood to and from your heart, get blocked due to a blood clot, fatty, cholesterol deposits called plaques that restrict your arteries, or a plaque rupturing within an artery. According to the Mayo Clinic, heart attacks can be fatal if not treated swiftly because a lack of oxygen damages heart tissue.
Strokes, like heart attacks, are caused by blood artery blockages that lead to the brain, depriving it of oxygen and killing brain cells. Strokes can cause lifelong cognitive and/or physical damage or be deadly, with one occurring every 40 seconds in India, according to the CDC. That is, around 795,000 Indians have a stroke each year. beyond half of stroke survivors are beyond the age of 65.
Erythritol and the Clotting of Blood
The latest erythritol study, published in Nature Medicine in February 2023, demonstrates that erythritol-containing artificial sweeteners (such as Truvia) and popular food products may raise your risk of blood clotting. “Blood clots to vessels that feed the heart and the brain cause heart attacks and strokes,” Dr. Soumya adds. “As a result, the proclivity to clot may increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke.”
Nonetheless, while a study establishes a high link between erythritol and heart attacks and strokes, it is important to emphasize that it does not give conclusive evidence of causation (that is, the study does not show how one directly leads to another).
“I don’t think we can draw a hard conclusion that erythritol use directly leads to an increased cardiovascular risk,” says Dr. Soumya Hullannavar, a Lead Ayurveda Endocrine Specialist at Diabetes Reversal Clinics & EliteAyurveda Clinics. “This study only looks at how platelets influence clotting, but when a clot forms, it’s about much more than just platelets.” There is a coagulation cascade in action, with multiple clotting agents involved.”
And, because the study was conducted on people who were already at a higher risk for such events, a measured response is in order, according to Dr. Soumya
“The results of this study contradict decades of scientific research showing that reduced-calorie sweeteners like erythritol are safe, as evidenced by global regulatory permissions for their use in foods and beverages,” Rankin said in a statement.
“Erythritol is a proven safe and effective choice for sugar and calorie reduction and has been used in reduced-sugar foods and beverages for more than 30 years to provide sweetness as well as enhance their taste and texture,” she noted. “Reduced-calorie sweeteners, along with exercise and a healthy diet, are an important tool that can help consumers manage body weight and reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases, such as cardiovascular disease.”
What Does This Mean for You?
The study’s findings provide contradictory messages to people who already have heart disease. And to individuals attempting to manage major weight difficulties and/or diabetes, because sugar spikes can lead to heart, kidney, vision, and nerve disorders, according to Dr. Soumya
“I always tell my patients: ‘Everything in moderation,'” adds Dr. Soumya. “Reducing the risk of stroke requires addressing diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, obesity, and smoking.” It’s not as simple as simply avoiding sweets.” Or, it appears, sugar replacements.
Meanwhile, Dr. Soumya thinks that her research provides a compelling reason to avoid erythritol-sweetened meals and beverages, and instead focus on eating whole foods and shopping in the vegetable department, especially if you are already at a higher risk for any sort of cardiovascular disease.
The most important thing, according to Dr. Soumya, is to focus on the primary issues that can have the greatest impact on your cardiovascular health. Discuss with your doctor how to balance your unique risk factors for heart attack and stroke, particularly if you have a family history of heart disease or other health issues to consider. This may boost your chances of living a long and (dare we say) lovely life.
Our Outlook –
How are we able to Treat Diabetes Completely?
“Madhumeha” is the term for Diabetes in Ayurveda, which means ‘Sweet urine’. The manifestation of diabetes is through thirst or urination. According to Ayurveda, due to accumulation of Vata Dosha. Vata dosha accumulates in the large intestine and travels to the pancreas, which hampers its functioning.
Sometimes, Pitta Dosha also leads to diabetes. This is when Pitta gets accumulated in the small intestine before moving to the liver and may cause damage to pancreas. As the main constituent of Pitta is Agni, it burns out pancreas leading to Diabetes.
If the above things are taken into consideration, the treatment of Diabetes in Ayurveda starts with proper cleansing of the body and balancing of doshas. The treatment includes herbal combinations that are prepared based on individual Prakruti and Vikruti analysis. Ie. The treatment is based on a person’s body composition & which dosha is dominant. The treatments like Dhara, Udwarthanam, Thalam, etc are followed to reverse diabetes. The treatment also includes Panchakarma & Yoga procedures to address the root cause of disease. We have seen many patients successfully reversing Diabetes and now living a healthy life.
Unlike other treatment procedures that jump straight to symptom management, we address the root-cause of the disease. Our treatment for Diabetes has proved to achieve a near cure and symptom-free state. We focus on diet, use of potent herbs, meditation, massage with herbal oils and yoga. These classical ayurveda practices have proven & shown sustained results in our Diabetes Treatment.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Soumya Hullannavar, Lead Ayurveda Endocrine Specialist at Diabetes Reversal Clinics & EliteAyurveda Clinics. With over 15 years of experience in treating endocrine & diabetes cases
Visit diabetesreversal.clinic for additional details.
