Sorbitol is a sweet substance that is naturally found in several types of fruits and can be used as a sweetener in manufactured food products. It is less sweet and has fewer calories than sucrose, or table sugar. Aside from its presence in the diet, sorbitol may have other advantages that go far beyond making what we eat a little sweeter.
Facts
Sorbitol is a type of sugar alcohol, a modified carbohydrate that is naturally found in fruits and used as a sweetener in food products. Humans are able to metabolize sorbitol since it is a naturally occurring compound; however, it does not contribute to tooth decay like sucrose, according to a laboratory study published in 1994 in "Caries Research." This research suggests that sorbitol may reduce the rate of cavities. In addition, sorbitol has one-third fewer calories than sucrose, according to the Calorie Control Council.
Functions
Sorbitol is commonly used as a sweetener or sugar substitute in many diet foods. It is also used as sweetener in toothpaste, mouthwash, chewing gum, and cold medicine. Sorbitol is an effective, safe and cost-effective treatment for constipation according to a study of patients at a Veterans Administration hospital in Bedford, Massachusetts, published in the May-June 2005 issue of the "Journal of the American Medical Directors Association." In fact, sorbitol is the active ingredient in prunes that makes them an effective home remedy for constipation. Sorbitol is also used in the treatment of high potassium levels in the blood, although research in the May 2009 "Southern Medical Journal" suggests this may be damaging to the digestive system.
Risks
Taking too much sorbitol, especially in the treatment of constipation, may lead to intestinal discomfort and diarrhea and possibly a trigger for irritable bowel syndrome, according to a study in the October 2009 issue of "Current Gastroenterology Reports." Since this is commonly used in the elderly, the dosage must be carefully monitored to prevent any effects of sorbitol overdose. In addition, research in the June 2009 issue of "Urology Research" showed that ingestion of sorbitol may increase the concentration of oxalate in the urine, a contributor to kidney stone formation.
Sources in the Diet
Good natural sources of sorbitol in the diet include prunes, apples, pears and peaches. Sorbitol is converted to fructose by the liver, but the amounts normally consumed in the diet are low, so it is not considered a vital nutrient. The amounts of sorbitol found in over-the-counter products and sugar-free chewing gum are low enough that any potential side effects should not be a problem unless used improperly. When used as a laxative, it can either be taken as an oral suspension or by administration through an enema.
References
- "Caries Research"; Effect of Sugar Alcohols on the Composition and Metabolism of a Mixed Culture of Oral Bacteria Grown in a Chemostat; D.J. Bradshaw and P.D. Marsh; 1994
- Calorie Control Council: Sorbitol
- "Journal of the American Medical Directors Association"; Management of Constipation in Residents with Dementia: Sorbitol Effectiveness and Cost; L. Volicer, et al.; May 2005
- "Southern Medical Journal"; Intestinal Necrosis Due to Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate (Kayexalate) in Sorbitol; C.E. McGowan, et al.; May 2009
- "Current Gastroenterology Reports"; Fructose-Sorbitol Malabsorption; F. Fernandes-Banares, et al.; October 2009
- "Urology Research"; Calciuria, Oxaluria and Phosphaturia after Ingestion of Glucose, Xylitol and Sorbitol in Two Population Groups with Different Stone-risk Profiles; A. Rodgers, et al.; June 2009
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