SWEETENERS used in sugar-free drinks could raise your risk of heart attack and stroke, a study claims.
Researchers found erythritol — a chemical used in some energy drinks like Monster Ultra — may be linked to higher rates of the deadly conditions.
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The study of more than 4,000 people in Denmark and the US looked at how the sweetener impacted how easy it is for a blood clot to form, which can lead to either event.
Dr Stanley Hazen, of the Cleveland Clinic, said the sweetener could “enhance clotting risks”.
He said: “Sweeteners like erythritol have rapidly increased in popularity in recent years but there needs to be more in-depth research into their long-term effects.
“Cardiovascular disease builds over time, and heart disease is the leading cause of death globally.
“We need to make sure the foods we eat aren’t hidden contributors.”
Up to 100,000 Brits are hospitalised by heart attacks and the same number suffer strokes every year.
High blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and obesity are all known risk factors.
Sweeteners are often recommended to people suffering from obesity and diabetes as a replacement for sugar.
Erythritol is around 70 per cent as sweet as sugar and is produced by fermenting corn, while also being found in low levels made by the body.
Previous research has linked other sweeteners, including aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose, to heart disease.
The latest study, published in Nature Medicine, investigated the link between erythritol and the condition.
What are the symptoms of a heart attack?
Symptoms of a heart attack can include:
chest pain – a feeling of pressure, heaviness, tightness or squeezing across your chest
pain in other parts of the body – it can feel as if the pain is spreading from your chest to your arms (usually the left arm, but it can affect both arms), jaw, neck, back and tummy
feeling lightheaded or dizzy
sweating
shortness of breath
feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
an overwhelming feeling of anxiety (similar to a panic attack)
coughing or wheezing
Source: The NHS
Researchers measured levels of different chemicals in the blood of patients at risk of heart disease in the US, before following them up three years later.
They found the risk of death was twice as high in patients who had the most erythritol in their blood.
They then analysed further patients in the US and Denmark, finding the same association.
Independent experts said the study showed a link between the sweetener and heart disease.
Professor Oliver Jones, of RMIT University, said: “The authors found a potentially important association between levels of erythritol in the blood and health impacts.
“They also took the trouble to show a viable way by which the effect they found could occur. “Higher erythritol levels may increase the risk of blood clots forming and this in turn may increase the risk of disease.”
Professor Nita Forouhi, of the University of Cambridge, said: “The evidence is not yet definitive but highlights the importance of investment into further research.”