A common artificial sweetener is linked to an increased risk of Heart attacks and strokesaccording to a new study from the Cleveland Clinic.

Erythritol, a sugar alcohol used to sweeten many low-sugar, low-calorie beverages and foods – especially low-carbohydrate or “Keto” diets – led to an increase in the number of platelets and the formation of blood clots, according to researchers.

The results were published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.

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An earlier study by the team, published in Nature Medicine, found that heart patients with high levels of erythritol in their bodies had twice the risk of suffering a major cardiac event within three years.

“In this study, we compared drinking a sweetened drink with either 30 grams of glucose, which is sugar, or 30 grams of erythritol,” said lead author Stanley Hazen, MD, PhD, co-section chief of preventive cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic, in a video provided to Fox News Digital.

The small study involved 20 healthy volunteers with an average age of 30 who had blood drawn after an overnight fast.

Participants drank water mixed with either 30 grams of erythritol (comparable to the dose in an artificially sweetened soda or baked good) or 30 grams of glucose.

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After 30 minutes, another blood sample was taken to determine the participants’ erythritol plasma levels and platelet function.

People who consumed the artificial sweetener were found to have erythritol levels over 1,000 times higher than those who consumed sugar.

“There is every reason to believe that there is an increased risk of blood clots or thrombosis after drinking erythritol” – which could increase the likelihood of Heart attack or strokesaid Hazen.

This effect was not observed in patients who drank glucose.

“It appears to be safer to drink a beverage sweetened with glucose than a beverage sweetened with erythritol.”

“Based on the current data, it appears to be safer to drink a beverage sweetened with glucose than a beverage sweetened with erythritol,” Hazen said.

“I recommend that my patients avoid artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes and try Whole foodsavoid processed foods and shop in the fruit and vegetable section.”

If you want to sweeten a food or drink, Hazen recommends – based on the data – using honey or fruit instead of artificial sweetener.

The doctor noted that the same effect had also been observed with other sugar alcohols.

Erythritol is classified as GRAS (“generally recognized as safe”) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority.

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There is no mandatory safety check other than the “absolute minimum,” Hazen said.

“I want to see Regulatory authorities reassess the safety of using sugar alcohols.”

Further clinical trials According to the researchers, further studies are needed to measure the long-term cardiovascular safety of erythritol.

Dr. Bradley Serwer, cardiologist and chief physician at VitalSolution, a Cincinnati, Ohio-based company that Cardiovascular and anesthesiological services to hospitals, was not involved in the study but said it raised “significant concerns.”

“Many artificial sweeteners have been studied and sold in the past as healthy alternatives to sugar, but they have often been found to have significant side effects,” he told Fox News Digital.

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“There are other studies that show that erythritol increases platelet activity, which leads to abnormal blood clot formation.”

Several other sugar substitutes, such as xylitol, have also been associated with negative health consequencessaid Server.

“These artificial sugars not only increase the risk of cardiovascular events, but often cause the body to produce more insulin,” he noted.

“Insulin increases cravings for sweets, so people crave sugar even more after consuming artificial sweeteners. This has negative effects that can lead to metabolic syndrome.”

In his cardiology practice, Serwer said, his patients often look for healthier alternatives to high-calorie, sugary foods.

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“It is important to inform them that it may be better to avoid these sugar alcohols altogether,” said the cardiologist.

He expressed hope that “these data will prompt the FDA to re-evaluate the safety of erythritol.”

Industry association urges “extreme caution”

The Calorie Control Council (CCC), an international association that promotes low-calorie and reduced-calorie diets Food and Drink The food industry advised consumers to interpret the Cleveland Clinic study with “extreme caution.”

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“The limited number of participants were administered an excessive amount of erythritol, nearly double to triple the maximum allowable amount for a single drink in the United States, based on a standard 8- to 16-ounce serving,” Carla Saunders, president of the Washington, DC-based CCC, said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital.

The erythritol level was only measured once after consumption, she emphasized.

“The pilot had no control over Lifestyle factors This could influence the outcome, introduce confounding variables and affect the reliability of the results,” Saunders added.

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“In addition, since erythritol levels were only measured at baseline and 30 minutes after ingestion, there is no way to demonstrate any lasting health effects of excessive consumption,” she added.

“For 30 years, science has shown that erythritol is a proven safe and effective choice for reducing sugar and calories.”

Fox News Digital has asked the Cleveland Clinic for comment on the CCC’s position.