Artificial Sweetener Erythritol May Impair Brain Blood Vessel Health
Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have found that the artificial sweetener erythritol may harm essential cellular functions maintaining brain blood vessel health. Erythritol was shown to increase oxidative stress, disrupt nitric oxide signaling, increase vasoconstrictive peptide production, and decrease clot-dissolving capacity in human brain microvascular endothelial cells. While popular in low-calorie foods due to its sweetness and negligible impact on blood sugar, epidemiological studies have linked higher erythritol levels to increased cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. This new in vitro study provides a cellular mechanism for this association, showing adverse effects on brain endothelial cell function and potentially increasing stroke risk. Further long-term and in vivo research is recommended to clarify the cerebrovascular consequences of repeated erythritol consumption.