Sweet but Sour: The Bitter Truth About Erythritol and Stomach Upset

We’ve all heard someone in our life say that artificial sweeteners are dangerous.  For some reason, we tend to ignore those claims labeling them in our head as new age propaganda without any actual scientific backing.  We are in denial.  It’s me.  I’m in denial.

In fairness to me, artificial sweeteners have helped maintain my weight which seems to fluctuate more than a creek in monsoon season.  For some people, like those with diabetes, the benefits outweigh the risks.  Certainly if you’re trying to decrease the amount of sugar you consume, switching temporarily to an artificial sweetener can help.  

These are some of the most commonly used sweeteners within the United States regulated by the FDA.

• Acesulfame potassium (Sweet One, Sunett)
• Advantame
• Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal)
• Erythritol
• Neotame (Newtame)
• Saccharin (Sweet'N Low)
• Sucralose (Splenda)
• Luo han guo (Monk Fruit in the Raw)
• Purified stevia leaf extracts (Truvia, PureVia, others)

Today we are going to focus on one: erythritol.

What is erythritol?

A food additive, an artificial sweetener.  Synthesized from corn, it is considered a sugar alcohol.  If you haven’t seen it, we recently talked about the dangers of sugar alcohols.  The gist is that it’s important to know that some sugar alcohols cannot be easily digested which will lead to stomach upset.  This is especially true if you’re someone who suffers from a form of dysautonomia as stomach upset is often a common complaint or symptom of your illness.

Is erythritol safe to consume?

Generally speaking, yes.  In 1999 the World Health Organization declared it safe for human consumption.  The FDA followed suit in 2001.  The concern isn’t that it’s safe.  The concern we have here is; Is it safe for you?

Drawbacks of erythritol

Stomach upset is the biggest drawback to erythritol.  Consuming products with this artificial sweetener in it can cause bloating, cramps, excessive gas, and a laxative effect when it reaches your colon.

This is especially important to know if you’re someone who has a form of dysautonomia known as POTS (or postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), Crohn’s disease, or IBS.  These disease states can exacerbate the symptoms.

Why is erythritol popular?

With the popularity of keto diets, sugar alcohols that won’t interfere with your blood sugar levels have risen in popularity.  For most people, sugar substitutes aren’t a big deal for them to consume safely.  But if you have a chronic illness that has known stomach sensitivities like POTS then you should take heed that these sugar substitutes should likely be used in moderation.

Electrolytes that use erythritol

Sugar substitutes usually taste sweet, have few calories, and can typically be easily disgusted by your average healthy person.  They’re especially popular in some electrolyte brands who focus on dieters on keto diets.

Reading the label of everything you consume is important.  When you first start to read labels, it can be exhausting, but over time you’ll come to find that you’ll know what brands have what in them and what is the safest thing for you to consume.

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NormaLyte PURE was made for people with dysautonomia in mind.  It contains no artificial sweeteners in it.  Keep in mind that some sugar is needed for the proper absorption of water in the gut through the sodium glucose cotransport system, a naturally occuring system in all our bodies.  

Don’t take our word for it.  Thousands of reviewers have said how NormaLyte is a game changer for their symptoms.

Ashley Parker has been using NormaLyte PURE for a period of time and said, “Wow!  This product has reduced my need for IV fluids in half. I’m baffled. I have EDS/POTS and had been struggling with LMNT/Liquid IV/Pedyalite, Vitassium pills. I was taking as much as I could and it wasn’t working. I decided to try this one and couldn’t believe the change. I have been using for a few months now and I started going much longer between my scheduled infusions. I use the pure packets in a large cup of tea with milk and it tastes good which motivates me to keep my fluids going. If you are like me, try it out! I think the sugars help the absorption and almost all the other brands cut the sugar and add fake sweetener.”