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From Schwarzenegger's daily email: > Artificial Sweeteners and Heart Attacks: fact or fiction? The nutrition world was set on fire last week when it was repor

by beders 4y ago

From Schwarzenegger's daily email: > Artificial Sweeteners and Heart Attacks: fact or fiction? The nutrition world was set on fire last week when it was reported that erythritol — a popular sweetener used in protein bars and shakes — was linked to stroke and heart attack. There was just one little problem. The study didn’t even test erythritol consumption, so the conclusion made by many in the media (that erythritol causes heart attacks) was very misleading (at best) and a dramatic false alarm (at worst). Here's what you need to know: the researchers examined erythritol levels in the blood. Unlike other substances that only show up in your body if you eat it in your diet, erythritol is naturally produced by your body. And, it increases specifically during stress or body dysfunction. So if you have elevated levels of erythritol, it doesn't necessarily mean you've been having a lot of the sweetener; it could be that you're sick. And that's what makes this study so problematic. The subjects in this study were not healthy. For example, more than 70 percent had coronary artery disease and hypertension. Which bring up an important question: did the consumption of erythritol cause the high levels in the blood, or was it because the subjects very sick and naturally producing more in their bodies? We don’t know because the study didn’t test those variables. To be clear, other studies suggest supplementing with erythritol can led to positive health outcomes. If you’re worried about erythritol, it’s pretty easy to avoid. Simply check the ingredient list. Our take: we need more research focusing on healthy individuals while controlling for erythritol consumption to see if there is an association with disease. But, at this point, it's early to panic based on the findings of the study.

alostpuppy 4y ago
What email list is this? Sounds amazing.
- renewiltord 4y ago
  It's from The Pump Daily but I can't find an archive. This one is listed somewhere else https://ireallyappreciatescience.com/2023/03/07/artificial-sweeteners-heart-attacks-and-terminating-hate/ https://ireallyappreciatescience.com/2023/03/07/artificial-s...
- kiachnish 4y ago
  The Pump Daily https://schwarzenegger.ck.page/0943ca5e13 https://schwarzenegger.ck.page/0943ca5e13
latchkey 4y ago
> erythritol is naturally produced by your body I often see this being used as an excuse to say that because we produce it, it isn't bad for you. Thing is that we produce it in tiny tiny amounts... then we take a spoonful of 'monk fruit' and add it to our coffee. There's nothing 'natural' about that. > If you’re worried about erythritol, it’s pretty easy to avoid. Not really. Just a random google... "MONK FRUIT IN THE RAW" https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Sweetener-Erythritol-Sugar-Free-Substitute/dp/B08CC1FMJQ https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Sweetener-Erythritol-Sugar-Fr... Look at the first item on the list, it is a bag of erythritol, packaged to be 'monk fruit'. Almost every single 'monk fruit' product out there is a bag of erythritol. Look at the shelf in your local grocery store. Eventually, people just give up and buy the bag since they have been told 'sugar' is bad. That's the real tragedy here.
- ars 4y ago
  > I often see this being used as an excuse to say that because we produce it, it isn't bad for you. Thing is that we produce it in tiny tiny amount There is a reason we say this, if we produce it naturally our body has mechanisms to metabolize the item. For example acetone isn't very toxic because our body produces it naturally and knows how to deal with it. (Note I am not disagreeing with you regarding amounts, just pointing out it's not such a foolish thing to say.)
  - latchkey 4y ago
    Acetone can be found everywhere. You're not going to take a spoonful of it and add it your coffee. That's what I'm talking about.
- api 4y ago
  Erythritol is cheaper than Stevia or Monk Fruit so they've taken to putting a tiny amount of the natural sweetener and a ton of erythritol in there. You really have to look for the pure stuff and order it specifically.
- Marsymars 4y ago
  The reason monk fruit and erythritol are mixed is to make the overall sweetness per volume 1:1 with sugar. Since erythritol is less sweet than sugar and monk fruit is much sweeter, you naturally get more erythritol than you do monk fruit.
dangwhy 4y ago
> or was it because the subjects very sick and naturally producing more in their bodies? Is there a list of sicknesses that elevate erythritol levels naturally. coronary artery disease and hypertension - these are the two main ones?
eegilbert 4y ago
However, the paper does offer a compelling causal mechanism. Also, it appears they performed follow-up pilot studies on the effects of erythritol consumption—as opposed to its simple presence in the blood. The following quote from the article is repeated in the linked Science commentary: "The present studies suggest that following ingestion of an artificially sweetened food harboring typical levels of erythritol as artificial sweetener, plasma levels of erythritol remain elevated for many days, well above the thresholds necessary to enhance stimulus-dependent platelet reactivity, even among healthy volunteers." I agree with Derek Lowe. I'll be avoiding erythritol until subsequent studies prove that it's safe.
- V__ 4y ago
  This elevated level for many days, actually suggests it's not an intake problem: > Witkowski et al. note that the vast majority of their study participants were enrolled prior to erythritol becoming a common sweetener and food additive. This, combined with the authors’ finding that erythritol levels remain well above the cohort ranges for at least a day after consumption, suggests that none of the cohort patients were consuming erythritol in their diets, and that the levels measured in fasting plasma samples were instead the result of endogenous production [1] https://peterattiamd.com/more-hype-than-substance-erythritol-and-cardiovascular-risk/ https://peterattiamd.com/more-hype-than-substance-erythritol...
notShabu 4y ago
It also needs to be compared with the known negative effects of foods saturated in high fructose corn syrup. I think it's becoming more popular in foods lately b/c of its relative lack of aftertaste but it does cause gastric distress in larger amounts and a healthy gut biome is linked to a bunch of other benefits. There should always be concern for long term black swan style effects esp for the new hotness but by definition these unknown unknowns can never be fully eliminated.

by beders 4y ago

alostpuppy 4y ago

What email list is this? Sounds amazing.

renewiltord 4y ago
It's from The Pump Daily but I can't find an archive. This one is listed somewhere else https://ireallyappreciatescience.com/2023/03/07/artificial-sweeteners-heart-attacks-and-terminating-hate/ https://ireallyappreciatescience.com/2023/03/07/artificial-s...
kiachnish 4y ago
The Pump Daily https://schwarzenegger.ck.page/0943ca5e13 https://schwarzenegger.ck.page/0943ca5e13

latchkey 4y ago

> erythritol is naturally produced by your body I often see this being used as an excuse to say that because we produce it, it isn't bad for you. Thing is that we produce it in tiny tiny amounts... then we take a spoonful of 'monk fruit' and add it to our coffee. There's nothing 'natural' about that. > If you’re worried about erythritol, it’s pretty easy to avoid. Not really. Just a random google... "MONK FRUIT IN THE RAW" https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Sweetener-Erythritol-Sugar-Free-Substitute/dp/B08CC1FMJQ https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Sweetener-Erythritol-Sugar-Fr... Look at the first item on the list, it is a bag of erythritol, packaged to be 'monk fruit'. Almost every single 'monk fruit' product out there is a bag of erythritol. Look at the shelf in your local grocery store. Eventually, people just give up and buy the bag since they have been told 'sugar' is bad. That's the real tragedy here.

ars 4y ago
> I often see this being used as an excuse to say that because we produce it, it isn't bad for you. Thing is that we produce it in tiny tiny amount There is a reason we say this, if we produce it naturally our body has mechanisms to metabolize the item. For example acetone isn't very toxic because our body produces it naturally and knows how to deal with it. (Note I am not disagreeing with you regarding amounts, just pointing out it's not such a foolish thing to say.)
- latchkey 4y ago
  Acetone can be found everywhere. You're not going to take a spoonful of it and add it your coffee. That's what I'm talking about.
api 4y ago
Erythritol is cheaper than Stevia or Monk Fruit so they've taken to putting a tiny amount of the natural sweetener and a ton of erythritol in there. You really have to look for the pure stuff and order it specifically.
Marsymars 4y ago
The reason monk fruit and erythritol are mixed is to make the overall sweetness per volume 1:1 with sugar. Since erythritol is less sweet than sugar and monk fruit is much sweeter, you naturally get more erythritol than you do monk fruit.

dangwhy 4y ago

> or was it because the subjects very sick and naturally producing more in their bodies? Is there a list of sicknesses that elevate erythritol levels naturally. coronary artery disease and hypertension - these are the two main ones?

eegilbert 4y ago

However, the paper does offer a compelling causal mechanism. Also, it appears they performed follow-up pilot studies on the effects of erythritol consumption—as opposed to its simple presence in the blood. The following quote from the article is repeated in the linked Science commentary: "The present studies suggest that following ingestion of an artificially sweetened food harboring typical levels of erythritol as artificial sweetener, plasma levels of erythritol remain elevated for many days, well above the thresholds necessary to enhance stimulus-dependent platelet reactivity, even among healthy volunteers." I agree with Derek Lowe. I'll be avoiding erythritol until subsequent studies prove that it's safe.

V__ 4y ago
This elevated level for many days, actually suggests it's not an intake problem: > Witkowski et al. note that the vast majority of their study participants were enrolled prior to erythritol becoming a common sweetener and food additive. This, combined with the authors’ finding that erythritol levels remain well above the cohort ranges for at least a day after consumption, suggests that none of the cohort patients were consuming erythritol in their diets, and that the levels measured in fasting plasma samples were instead the result of endogenous production [1] https://peterattiamd.com/more-hype-than-substance-erythritol-and-cardiovascular-risk/ https://peterattiamd.com/more-hype-than-substance-erythritol...

notShabu 4y ago

It also needs to be compared with the known negative effects of foods saturated in high fructose corn syrup. I think it's becoming more popular in foods lately b/c of its relative lack of aftertaste but it does cause gastric distress in larger amounts and a healthy gut biome is linked to a bunch of other benefits. There should always be concern for long term black swan style effects esp for the new hotness but by definition these unknown unknowns can never be fully eliminated.