Reverse Insulin Resistance: Is Erythritol Going to Give Me a Heart Attack?
Click here to take the quiz to uncover the hidden stress sabotaging your progress—and what to do about it.
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Click here to take the quiz to uncover the hidden stress sabotaging your progress—and what to do about it. 〰️
New publicity about an old study has people worried about erythritol and heart attach risk.
The internet is buzzing (again) about erythritol—and this time, it’s tied to heart attacks and stroke risk. The headlines sound terrifying. But before you panic and toss your sweeteners, let’s unpack the actual science.
The Study: A Game of "Let's See What Gives People Heart Attacks"
Researchers looked at over a thousand people in their “discovery cohort,” measuring blood levels of different compounds to see what correlated with MACE (major adverse cardiovascular events—aka stroke, heart attack, or death).
They found that higher levels of erythritol were associated with a higher risk. To dig deeper, they tested even more people and ran lab studies, adding erythritol to human platelets in plasma and injecting it into mice.
Not surprisingly, when they used extremely high doses, erythritol increased platelet clumping (aka clot formation). But here’s the thing...
The levels used were 30x higher than what most people eat.
So, unless you’re sipping erythritol by the cupful, these results don’t mean much for the average human using it in moderation.
Wait...Our Bodies Make Erythritol?
Yep. Your body makes its own erythritol via the pentose phosphate pathway. That means even if you never touch a packet of Swerve, you’ll still have some floating around your bloodstream.
Also? The researchers didn’t even ask participants about their erythritol consumption. They just measured blood levels. No food diaries. No context.
So now we’re making scary claims...based on what?
Erythritol: The Sweet Little Friend or the Enemy?
So, should we start tossing out all our erythritol-sweetened treats and start munching on raw kale? Not so fast. The amount of erythritol they used in mice was much more than the highest levels found in humans.
Let’s be honest. Erythritol isn't even one of the tastier sweeteners out there—and it’s known to cause bloating and GI issues for a lot of people.
So if this study makes you pause, great. There are plenty of other low-impact options:
Stevia – Natural, plant-based, and well-studied.
Allulose – Tastes like sugar, doesn’t spike blood sugar.
Xylitol – Bonus dental health perks (but keep it away from pets).
But does this mean you need to panic about your erythritol-sweetened protein bar?
Absolutely not.
When the Science Triggers More Than Curiosity
If you found yourself spiraling after reading those headlines—“Am I slowly killing myself without knowing it?”—you’re not alone.
A lot of my clients aren’t just trying to eat right...
They’re trying to feel safe. In control. Not overwhelmed by fear-based health messages.
Here’s the hard truth no blog post or diet plan talks about:
Sometimes it’s not the food. It’s the fear underneath it.
If you’re constantly second-guessing what you eat, or if trying to “do everything right” leaves you exhausted, emotional, or bingeing behind closed doors...
That’s not a willpower problem. It’s likely a nervous system issue.
That’s why I now use Brainspotting—a gentle, body-based therapy that clears the stress loops keeping you stuck in survival mode, food anxiety, and emotional eating cycles.
Most people feel real relief in just one or two sessions.
Final Thoughts
This study on erythritol? It’s interesting. But it’s not a smoking gun. And it definitely doesn’t mean you need to flip your whole pantry upside down.
Me? I’ll keep doing what I’ve always recommended:
Don’t blindly trust the “KETO” label.
Limit processed foods, even the low-carb ones.
Focus on whole, nourishing meals...and a calm nervous system.
