That sugar-free energy drink promising clean fuel for your brain might be doing the opposite. New research reveals erythritol—the darling of keto dieters and diabetics—may damage brain cells and disrupt blood flow in ways that could increase stroke risk. The findings, presented at the American Physiology Summit, suggest your “healthy” sweetener habit might be anything but.
The Brain Cell Breakdown
Laboratory evidence shows concerning vascular effects from this popular sugar substitute.
Colorado University researchers discovered that erythritol-treated human brain vessel cells produce significantly less nitric oxide—a compound essential for healthy blood flow—while generating more damaging free radicals. This double hit impairs vascular function and triggers neuroinflammation, according to the physiology conference data. While questions remain about direct neurotoxicity, the vascular effects alone raise serious concerns about the science.
Key findings from multiple studies include:
- Brain endothelial cells showed increased oxidative stress after erythritol exposure
- Higher blood erythritol levels correlated with greater cardiovascular and neurological event risk
- Seven sugar substitutes, including erythritol, are linked to 62% faster cognitive decline in observational studies
- Vascular dysfunction may elevate stroke risk through impaired blood vessel dilation
These correlational findings don’t prove causation, but the pattern concerns researchers studying sweetener safety.
Industry Under Fire
Highly processed stevia extracts also draw regulatory attention despite lacking direct neurotoxicity evidence.
The sweetener industry has long promoted these additives as safe alternatives, citing regulatory approval and metabolic benefits. However, emerging research challenges those claims, particularly around erythritol’s vascular effects.
Stevia presents different concerns—while whole-leaf stevia remains largely unproblematic, heavily processed extracts like Rebaudioside A undergo multiple chemical treatments that strip away the “natural” qualities marketing teams love to tout. No peer-reviewed, large-scale studies publicly link stevia extracts to direct neurotoxicity or brain barrier disruption. The majority of currently available concerns around stevia involve its processing methods and potential for allergenicity rather than clear neurotoxic risk.
Trade groups maintain safety positions, but calls for more rigorous evaluation and transparent labeling grow louder as conference presentations like these gain attention.
The safer path forward involves returning to genuinely minimally processed options. Raw honey, pure maple syrup, and date paste offer natural sweetness with beneficial compounds intact. Allulose shows promise as a rare sugar with minimal blood glucose impact, though long-term data remains limited. Your taste buds—and brain cells—deserve better than laboratory-created substitutes masquerading as health food.
