Chronic dietary erythritol exposure elevates fasting plasma erythritol levels but does not cause weight gain or modify glucose homeostasis in mice

Abstract

ObjectiveErythritol is both a common non-nutritive sweetener (NNS) and an endogenous product of glucose metabolism. Recent reports indicate that elevated plasma erythritol is a predictive biomarker of cardiometabolic disease onset and complications. Although short-term erythritol consumption has been evaluated, the effect of chronically elevated circulating erythritol on adiposity and glucose metabolism has not. This study investigated the effect of longer-term erythritol consumption on weight gain and glucose tolerance, and the interaction between dietary composition and erythritol supplementation on these parameters. Methods8-week-old and 20-week-old C57BL/6J mice were randomized to consume low-fat diet (LFD), high-fat diet (HFD), LFD with 40g/kg erythritol (LFD+ERY), and HFD with 40g/kg erythritol (HFD+ERY) groups. After 8 weeks, plasma erythritol, body weight and composition, food intake, glucose tolerance, and brown adipose tissue (BAT) uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) expression were measured. ResultsPlasma erythritol was elevated 40-fold in mice consuming LFD+ERY or HFD+ERY relative to mice consuming LFD or HFD, respectively. Liver and kidney tissue contained higher levels of erythritol than adipose. Unexpectedly, there was no effect of erythritol supplementation on body weight or glucose tolerance in 8- or 20-week-old mice fed LFD+ERY, or in 8-week-old mice fed HFD+ERY. In 20-week-old mice fed HFD+ERY, there was a significant interaction between erythritol and body weight (p<0.0001) compared to controls, but the main effect of diet was not significant. We also found no effect of chronic erythritol consumption on BAT UCP1 expression. ConclusionProlonged erythritol consumption did not significantly impact body weight, composition, or glucose tolerance. This suggests that dietary erythritol does not contribute to the development of cardiometabolic disease.