Sugar replacements and your heart health

A recent article (March 2023) published in TIME magazine highlighted that commonly used sugar replacement products may be linked to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. The study was published in Nature Medicine (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02223-9).It linked the commonly used sweetener erythritol to major cardiovascular events such as stroke, increased clotting in the blood, and heart attacks.

My Take: I think that this research is still evolving. Erythritol is considered to be a more “natural” sugar substitute as compared to ingredients found in Splenda (sucralose), saccharin (SweetNLow), and Aspartame (Equal, Nutrasweet). Erythritol is a recreation of a low-calorie substance found naturally in fruits and plants. It has been linked to gastrointestinal issues but was not previously associated with increased cardiovascular risk. To me, a key factor is the presence of erythritol in the blood before a major cardiovascular event does not mean that it caused the event. Erythritol is also produced by our body and has been shown to increase when a patient is under oxidative stress. Correlation is not causation. I would advocate for reducing the consumption of sweets as being safer and more effective in reducing adverse cardiovascular events.