Cleveland Clinic Warns: This Popular Sugar Substitute May Trigger Heart Issues

Erythritol, a common artificial sweetener, is found in baked goods, beverages, gum, and candy.
Recent research from the Cleveland Clinic indicates that consuming foods containing erythritol, a widely used artificial sweetener, may elevate the risk of cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes. The study, conducted with healthy volunteers, found that erythritol made platelets—blood cells involved in clotting—more active, thereby increasing the likelihood of blood clots. This effect was not observed with sugar (glucose).

Published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, the research adds to increasing evidence that erythritol may not be as safe as currently classified by food regulatory agencies and should be reevaluated as an ingredient. The study was conducted by a team of Cleveland Clinic researchers as part of a series of investigations on the physiological effects of common sugar substitutes.