Expert: Carol Schlitt - 1/25/2007

Question
Is D-Sorbitol safe?

Answer
Hi Meljyne,

D-Sorbitol is a recognized as safe artificial sweetener that is often used in candies and gum. It is a sugar alcohol that is slowly absorbed by the body and has about 1/2 the sweetening power of table sugar.

In small amounts, D-Sorbitol is considered safe.  In large amounts (over 50g) intestinal disturbances can occur (in some people it can happen with much less dosage). While most sorbitol used in the US is chemically formulated, it can also be naturally found in some fruits and berries.

The controversy surrounding sorbitol is the excess buildup that is found in some diabetics. Diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy may be related to excess sorbitol in the cells of the eyes and nerves.

In the diabetic classes I teach, I recommend limiting the use of all artificial sweeteners -- not just sorbitol. While they are a boon to the diabetic calorie-wise, too much may  be harmful.

A good reference with research-references on Sorbitol can be found at: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=5780

I hope this answers your question. If you have additional questions, please let me know.

Carol