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[HEALTH] · United States · 6 sources

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University of Colorado study links erythritol to blood-brain barrier damage

A laboratory study conducted by the University of Colorado Boulder suggests that the sugar substitute erythritol may damage the blood-brain barrier and promote blood clotting. Researchers observed that when human vascular cells in the brain were exposed to erythritol, there was a decrease in nitric oxide production—which helps vessels relax—and an increase in endothelin-1, a protein that causes vessels to constrict.

The study also noted a lower release of tissue plasminogen activator, which is essential for breaking down blood clots. While these findings provide a potential biological explanation for previous observational studies linking high erythritol levels to increased risks of heart attack and ischemic stroke, the researchers emphasized that the study was conducted on human cells in a laboratory setting rather than on living people. Further research on human subjects is required to confirm these effects.

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Erythritol · University of Colorado Boulder

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