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Is Your Sugarless Gum Giving You a Stomachache?
Sugarless gum seems practically virtuous -- a sweet treat with few, if any, calories and no sugar. Yet a report in the January 12, 2008, issue of British Medical Journal told of two patients who experienced serious and inexplicable pain or gas and diarrhea, along with extreme weight loss... which doctors finally tracked down to their heavy gum chewing habits -- around 20 sorbitol-sweetened sticks a day.
THE SORBITOL STORY
Commercially produced sugar alcohols such as sorbitol -- and indeed, all its cousins with the "ol" suffix, including xylitol, erythritol and mannitol -- are widely used as substitute sweeteners. Sorbitol, in particular, is used in cough drops and a wide variety of diet and diabetic food products, including candies, cookies, cakes and sugar-free maple syrup. Labels proudly proclaim the sugar-free, low-calorie status of these foods -- what they don't say, however, is that ingested in large quantities, the sweetener they are formulated with is known to cause abdominal pain, bloating, gas and diarrhea. Interestingly few people have such troubles with natural sorbitol, found in some fruits such as apples, cherries, peaches, pears, plums and prunes. According to Daily Health News contributing medical editor Andrew L. Rubman, ND, excessive sorbitol disrupts the large intestine's natural function of recapturing water from the mass that passes through it. This potentially creates wider imbalances in the microfloral community in the gut and the underlying tissues, which -- as regular readers have heard before -- creates a difficult set of problems.
In fact, the FDA regulates sorbitol, requiring information about gastrointestinal side effects on the label if the sorbitol-containing foods might result in a total daily consumption of 50 grams. A stick of gum or a candy contains only a gram or two of sorbitol, so it carries no cautionary information.
This is unfortunate, to say the least, since much lower levels have been known to cause harm. The patients described in the study lost 20% of their body weight, consuming 20 to 30 grams of sorbitol daily for months. Study authors warned that as little as 5 to 20 grams a day could result in bloating and cramps. According to Dr. Rubman, it's a question of sensitivity and degree of exposure. Some people -- especially children, people who are chronically ill and individuals with digestive issues -- are naturally more sensitive than others, and cumulative exposure to even small amounts of sorbitol can quickly add up in the short run. If you are indeed sensitive, you have probably noticed this effect already.
Your best bet: Eat real foods. Time and again, we see new evidence that the empty calories and additives in processed foods are just not worth it.
Source(s):
Andrew L. Rubman, ND, director, Southbury Clinic for Traditional Medicines, Southbury, Connecticut.
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Be well,
Carole Jackson
Bottom Line's Daily Health News
Required Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be construed as a health-care diagnosis, treatment regimen or any other prescribed health-care advice or instruction. The information is provided with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in the practice of medicine or any other health-care profession and does not enter into a health-care practitioner/patient relationship with its readers. The publisher does not advise or recommend to its readers treatment or action with regard to matters relating to their health or well-being other than to suggest that readers consult appropriate health-care professionals in such matters. No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication. The information and opinions provided herein are believed to be accurate and sound at the time of publication, based on the best judgment available to the authors. However, readers who rely on information in this publication to replace the advice of health-care professionals, or who fail to consult with health-care professionals, assume all risks of such conduct. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions.
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