Sorbitol (Sweetener) Possible Cause Of Neuropathy

Today's post from naturalnews.com (see link below) looks at sorbitol, which is an artificial sweetener (sugar alcohol) widely used in the food industry. However, just like aspartame and others, there may be hidden dangers to these artificial sugar products. Apparently, sorbitol can absorb water into cells, causing them to swell and causing damage as a result. This can lead to the sort of nerve damage we're all very much aware of. The fact that the body keeps sorbitol for some time can exacerbate the problem. Traditional artificial sweeteners were designed to help people prone to diabetes and other sugar problems but it's becoming evident that they may cause more damage than they prevent. There are safer alternatives and it may be worth your while researching these and incorporating them into your diet.
 

Sorbitol causes premature cataracts, retinopathy, heavy weight loss, and peripheral neuropathy
Saturday, November 03, 2012 by: Eric L. Zielinski

(NaturalNews) Sorbitol, a sugar alcohol, was once widely accepted as a sugar alternative for diabetics. It is also produced in the body when glucose is metabolized. The dangers of sorbitol; however, have been in medical literature for over two decades. Today, there is increasing controversy over the merits of this popular sweetener.


Diabetics and calorie counters at risk

Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol that is often used to sweeten processed foods. Some tissues contain sorbitol dehydorgenase, an enzyme that converts sorbitol into fructose. Tissues lacking this enzyme run the risk of sorbitol accumulating within the tissue. Moreover, an enzyme known as aldose reductase converts glucose into sorbitol. This process occurs in everyone to a degree, but in those with diabetes, the conversion of glucose to sorbitol is greatly accelerated. When it does, it depletes the body of essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Sorbitol is osmotically active, drawing water into cells, and causes these cells to swell which can eventually result in serious diabetic complications such as vision problems (retinopathy), nerve damage (neuropathy), kidney problems (nephropathy) and blood vessel damage. This osmotic characteristic makes it especially useful as a laxative, which would explain the common compliant of gas, bloating, and other digestive issues after eating foods sweetened with the alcohol-sugar. Because of its chemical constitution, sorbitol is not used by the body, so it takes a long time for the body to rid itself of the sugar molecule. As more food items are made with sorbitol and consumed by diabetics, combined with the accelerated conversion of glucose, sorbitol can build up over time.

Diabetics and those counting calories should give serious consideration to the dangers of not only sorbitol, but all artificial sweeteners. Like many medical interventions, sorbitol and artificial sweeteners were initially recommended by diabetes organizations and MDs globally only to be retracted as "dangerous" due to the inherent risks. Sadly, millions of people have been affected by this misguided advice with irrevocable negative effects. Organizations like American Diabetes Services are now stating that "in general, you should try to avoid eating or drinking too many products with artificial sweeteners. Opt for those with natural sugar substitutes instead." The irony of it all is quite disheartening because all the damage ensued by artificial sweetener consumption was directly caused by organizations like this who once heralded these toxins as "safe." The question begging to be asked is, "What's next?" What new chemical invention today is being widely accepted and recommended only to be shunned later on at the risk of millions of naive and unquestioning people?

There are; however, very safe and natural options diabetics and those counting calories can utilize. For example, increasingly gaining popularity and becoming more common in processed foods and non-milk substitutes, stevia is a zero calorie herbal sweetener that will not increase blood glucose levels and has a delightfully pleasant flavor. Now, ubiquitously available in health and generic grocery stores in processed, powered forms, the plants themselves are very easy to grow in most climates and are do not require much maintenance.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.americandiabetes.com
http://www.diabetesnet.com
http://biochemistryquestions.wordpress.com
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014483598905024
http://www.drugs.com/mtm/sorbitol.html

About the author:
Eric L. Zielinski, DC (c), MPH (c) has devoted his life to natural health and wellness for over a decade. Inspired by the timeless principles in the Bible, Eric's mission is to seek out ways to provide people with simple, evidenced-based tools that they need to achieve the Abundant Life. Formally trained as a chiropractor, Eric's primary approach is to serve his patients and clients through natural health care, nutrition counseling, spiritual mentorship, and empowering life strategies!

http://www.naturalnews.com/037813_sorbitol_cataracts_diabetics.html#