this is a dangerous ingredient that we consume daily

Food

low calorie sweeteners, natural or artificial, have been used in the food industry for decades and added to a wide range of processed foods and beverages. However, recent research has raised concerns about their safety and health effects, challenging the idea that they are safe and recommended for weight loss due to their low calorie content.

A recent study published in the journal Cell further highlighted the possible negative effects of these sweeteners, with a particular focus on sorbitol. sugar alcohol is widely used in chewing gum, candy, and sugar-free foods.. According to this study, sorbitol may have adverse effects on the gut microbiota even at low doses, raising concerns about its long-term safety.

What is sorbitol

Sorbitol is a natural product commonly found in leaves and berries.. It comes in the form of a white crystalline powder with a sweet taste, although less intense than sugar. It is very hygroscopic, meaning it can hold water and easily dissolve in it, which allows you to create concentrated solutions.

It does not contribute to the formation of caries, since oral bacteria cannot metabolize it to form acids which damage tooth enamel. However, excessive consumption of more than 10 grams per day can cause side effects such as diarrhea, bloating, and cramps.

In the food industry, sorbitol occurs naturally in a variety of fruits such as apples, pears, peaches, apricots, berries and plums.. It is also present in fruit juices, jams and dried fruits such as dried apricots and dates, although to a lesser extent in nectars and canned fruits.

In addition to natural origin, Sorbitol can be produced from glucose industrially. In this format it is used as a sweetener under the names E-420i or E-420ii (sorbitol syrup). It is found in a wide variety of foods, including convenience foods, industrial baked goods, chocolate and confectionery, and many other foods.

In the pharmaceutical field, sorbitol has a wide range of applications. It is used as sweetener in syrups and chewable tabletsas a moisturizer in creams and lotions, and as a nutrient in parenteral nutrition products.

It is also used as a plasticizer in hard capsules, a diluent in tablets, viscosity modifier in liquid formulations and stabilizer in injectable products. Even sorbitol-based laxative formulas are marketed for its ability to soften stool by retaining water in the intestines.

Although it is generally considered safe, it is important to note that excessive consumption of sorbitol may cause a laxative effect. In addition, people with hereditary fructose intolerance should avoid its use because In the body, sorbitol is metabolized into fructose..

Impact on the body

A recent mouse study conducted by researchers at the University of California, Davis, found an intriguing link between consumption sorbitol, a widely used sweetener, and gut microbiota. This study sheds light on how the combination of a high-fat diet and antibiotic use can affect the body’s ability to tolerate sorbitol.

The results show that The gut microbiota plays a critical role in the breakdown of sorbitol. and in the prevention of intolerance to this sweetener. The study observed that a high-fat diet and the use of antibiotics reduce the number of intestinal microorganisms capable of breaking down sorbitol, leading to a higher incidence of intolerance.

Researchers have found that certain gut bacteria, especially the Clostridium genus, play an important role in the breakdown of sorbitol. However, Antibiotic treatment reduced the population of these bacteria.which caused a decrease in the body’s ability to tolerate sorbitol.

To solve this problem, researchers studied Ways to restore the intestinal microbiota and improve tolerance to sorbitol. They found that administering certain gut bacteria, such as Anaerostipes caccae, could restore normal clostridia levels and prevent sorbitol intolerance.

Except, Researchers have suggested that some drugs, such as mesalazine,, used to treat inflammatory bowel disease, may be effective in treating sorbitol intolerance in people. These drugs act similarly to butyrate-producing gut bacteria, helping to restore adequate oxygen levels in the intestines and improving the body’s ability to break down sorbitol.

Although this study offers new insight into relationship between sorbitol, gut microbiota and intoleranceIt’s important to note that they were conducted on mice, which can tolerate much higher levels of sorbitol than humans. Therefore, more research is needed to fully understand how these findings apply to humans and how they may impact health and well-being.