Sweeteners in diet sodas and other popular drinks could raise the risk of deadly strokes, experts warned. 

Erythritol is a type of sugar alcohol used as a low-calorie sweetener in place of sugar. 

At just 6 percent of the calories of sugar, it still provides nearly 70 percent of that same sweetness, making it seem like a great alternative. 

However, health experts speaking to the Daily Mail said that erythritol may not be as safe as it seems. Instead, it may raise the risk of strokes. 

The warnings arise from a recent study that exposed human cells in the brain to erythritol levels similar to those present in diet sodas and energy drinks like Monster Energy Zero Ultra and G Fuel.

Within hours, the cells produced fewer clot-busting proteins, which are key for preventing strokes.

Experts informed the Daily Mail that erythritol might harm endothelial cells, which line the blood-brain barrier—a ‘security system’ that shields the brain from clots and foreign invaders.

This discovery coincides with an unexplained increase in stroke cases among young Americans and Brits, which experts attribute to rising obesity and diabetes rates, alongside sedentary lifestyles.

Health experts warned the Daily Mail that a sweetener found in diet sodas may increase the risk of stroke (stock image)

‘Erythritol makes vessels stiffer, raises oxidative stress, inhibits nitric oxide, blocks clot breakdown and makes platelets stickier,’ Dr Hector Perez, a bariatric surgeon at Renew Bariatrics in Mexico, told the Daily Mail. ‘That’s a perfect storm for vascular injury and strokes.’

The new study, published last month in the Journal of Applied Physiology, isolated human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells, which line the brain’s blood vessels. 

After exposing them to erythritol for three hours in a lab, the researchers identified several damaging changes.

These included the cells producing 75 percent more compounds that can damage them and surrounding tissue.

They also produced about 20 percent less of a compound used to help blood vessels relax, allowing more blood to flow through and minimizing the risk of a clot.  

Researchers also noted that erythritol decreased the production of a clot-busting protein called t-PA, which can help prevent strokes.

In their conclusion, they said the sweetener ‘potentially contributes to [an] increased risk of ischemic stroke’.

Some popular products with erythritol include zero sugar Monster energy drinks, Vitamin Water Zero sugar and some Quest protein bars

About 700,000 Americans suffer an ischemic stroke every year, CDC data shows (stock image)

An ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in the brain, preventing blood and oxygen from reaching brain tissue.

This can cause brain cells to die within minutes.

About 700,000 Americans suffer an ischemic stroke every year.  

Dr Ryan Sultan, a psychiatrist and founder and medical director of Integrative Psychiatry in New York City, told the Daily Mail: ‘While the study itself was done in cell culture and did not examine specific patient groups directly, it builds upon a growing body of research that raises concern for vulnerable populations and individuals with preexisting cardiometabolic risk. 

‘People with cardiovascular disease or diabetes often already have impaired endothelial function which can be further damaged by erythritol consumption.’

In research last year, scientists also found that when people are given the sweetener erythritol, cells in their blood that cause clotting become more active.

Specifically, they found the sweetener caused platelets in the blood to become activated and stick together, forming clots. 

Erythritol is not easily processed by the body, meaning it is often passed out through urine. Some may, however, be stored in the body — where its effects can build up overtime. 

The researchers claimed they fed cells with amounts of erythritol similar to what is found in diet sodas. It has been found in some flavors of Zevia, as well as Vitamin Water.

Sugar-free versions of Monster and G Fuel may also contain the sweetener.  

Dr Perez said while more research is needed on the long-term effects of erythritol, patients should still ‘ditch the erythritol, go for plain fizz or non‑sweet drinks’ and ‘manage your vascular risk with real food, exercise, sleep, and medications when needed’. 

He added: ‘I love when patients switch to diet drinks to cut calories, but erythritol is not the sugar-free savior we once believed. It’s a novel chemical in high doses, and the data now strongly suggests it can tighten your vessels, fuel oxidative stress, and promote clots, all ingredients for stroke and vascular damage.’