Sugar-Free Sweetener Sorbitol Linked to Liver Damage, Study Warns

• New research from Washington University in St. Louis reveals sorbitol, a common sugar-free sweetener, can convert into liver-straining fructose in the body.
• Published in Science Signaling, the study challenges the belief that sugar substitutes pass harmlessly through the system.
• Sorbitol can also be naturally produced in the gut from high glucose levels, then converted to fructose in the liver.
• Gut bacteria, like Aeromonas strains, can neutralize sorbitol, but high intake or imbalanced gut flora can lead to liver issues.
• Moderation is crucial, as processed foods often combine multiple sweeteners, making excess sorbitol intake surprisingly easy.

Why It Matters: Sorbitol, a sugar-free sweetener, converts to fructose, potentially harming the liver; moderation is key.