Effects of a 5-week intake of erythritol and xylitol on vascular function, abdominal fat and glucose tolerance in humans with obesity: a pilot trial

Valentine Bordier; Fabienne Teysseire; Jürgen Drewe; Philipp Madörin; Oliver Bieri; Arno Schmidt-Trucksäss; Henner Hanssen; Christoph Beglinger; Anne Christin Meyer-Gerspach; Bettina K Wölnerhanssen

doi:10.1136/bmjnph-2023-000764

Effects of a 5-week intake of erythritol and xylitol on vascular function, abdominal fat and glucose tolerance in humans with obesity: a pilot trial

BMJ Nutr Prev Health. 2023 Nov 14;6(2):264-272. doi: 10.1136/bmjnph-2023-000764. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Valentine Bordier^{1

2}, Fabienne Teysseire^{1

2}, Jürgen Drewe³, Philipp Madörin⁴, Oliver Bieri⁴, Arno Schmidt-Trucksäss⁵, Henner Hanssen⁵, Christoph Beglinger², Anne Christin Meyer-Gerspach^#^{1

2}, Bettina K Wölnerhanssen^#^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Metabolic Research Group, St. Clara Research Ltd, Basel, Switzerland.
² Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
³ Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
⁴ Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
⁵ Department for Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Introduction: Previous studies in humans and rats suggest that erythritol might positively affect vascular function, xylitol decrease visceral fat mass and both substances improve glycaemic control. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of a 5-week intake of erythritol and xylitol on vascular function, abdominal fat and blood lipids, glucose tolerance, uric acid, hepatic enzymes, creatinine, gastrointestinal tolerance and dietary patterns in humans with obesity.

Methods: Forty-two participants were randomised to consume either 36 g erythritol, 24 g xylitol, or no substance daily for 5 weeks. Before and after the intervention, arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity, arteriolar-to-venular diameter ratio), abdominal fat (liver volume, liver fat percentage, visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue, blood lipids), glucose tolerance (glucose and insulin concentrations), uric acid, hepatic enzymes, creatinine, gastrointestinal tolerance and dietary patterns were assessed. Data were analysed by linear mixed effect model.

Results: The 5-week intake of erythritol and xylitol showed no statistically significant effect on vascular function. Neither the time nor the treatment effects were significantly different for pulse wave velocity (time effect: p=0.079, Cohen's D (95% CI) -0.14 (-0.54-0.25); treatment effect: p=0.792, Cohen's D (95% CI) control versus xylitol: -0.11 (-0.61-0.35), control versus erythritol: 0.05 (0.44-0.54), erythritol versus xylitol: 0.07 (-0.41-0.54)). There was no statistically significant effect on abdominal fat, glucose tolerance, uric acid, hepatic enzymes and creatinine. Gastrointestinal tolerance was good except for a few diarrhoea-related symptoms. Participants of all groups reduced their consumption of sweetened beverages and sweets compared with preintervention.

Conclusions: The 5-week intake of erythritol and xylitol showed no statistically significant effects on vascular function, abdominal fat, or glucose tolerance in people with obesity.

Clinical trial registration: NCT02821923.

Keywords: dietary patterns; metabolic syndrome; nutritional treatment; precision nutrition; weight management.

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT02821923