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Consumption of popular artificial sweetener, erythritol, is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, according to a study which calls for further safety research to examine the long-term effects of such products. Researchers at Cleveland Clinic studied over 4,000 people in the US and Europe and found those with higher blood erythritol levels were at elevated risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event such as heart attack, stroke or death. They also examined the effects of adding erythritol to either whole blood or isolated platelets, which are cell fragments that clump together to stop bleeding and contribute to blood clots. The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, found that erythritol made platelets easier to activate and form a clot. Pre-clinical studies confirmed ingestion of erythritol heightened clot formation. Artificial sweeteners are present in thousands of food and beverage brands worldwide, however they remain a controversial topi