Sorbitol

Studies in people

• Concern

  Gut symptoms and bloating¹

  Sorbitol is not fully absorbed, which may cause belly pain and diarrhea, but scientists do not yet know for sure.

• Open question

  Tooth decay prevention²

  Studies comparing sorbitol with xylitol for preventing tooth decay gave mixed results, and scientists say more good trials are needed.

• Concern

  Gut symptoms in eating disorders⁵

  Sorbitol with fructose caused stomach symptoms in over half of women with eating disorders, especially those at low weight.

• Concern

  Gut symptoms in IBS⁷

  In people with IBS, sorbitol and mannitol increased gut symptoms, but this was not linked to how much was absorbed.

• Concern

  Stomach upset after eating⁹

  In healthy adults who took sorbitol by mouth, 32% got stomach symptoms.

• Concern

  Plaque and tooth decay¹⁰

  In adults, sorbitol gum increased plaque and lowered plaque pH, unlike xylitol gums.

• No harm found

  Blood sugar and digestion¹¹

  In nine people with diabetes, sorbitol in a mixed meal did not affect blood sugar or cause diarrhoea.

• Concern

  Adult gut symptoms¹²

  In adults, sorbitol caused belly pain, bloating and diarrhea, and nonwhite people had more severe symptoms.

• Concern

  Long-lasting diarrhoea in children¹³

  In seven children, sorbitol in a vitamin C supplement was the only cause found for their long-lasting diarrhoea.

• Benefit

  Gum health and plaque¹⁵

  In people, chewing sorbitol gum reduced plaque and gum inflammation and helped plaque rebuild teeth.

• Concern

  Gut symptoms in bowel patients¹⁶

  In patients with functional bowel disease, a 5-gram dose of sorbitol was poorly absorbed in 8 of 13 patients.

• Open question

  Mood and gut symptoms¹⁷

  In people who poorly absorb fructose, cutting out sorbitol and fructose eased bloating and low mood.

• Benefit

  Plaque on teeth¹⁸

  Chewing gum with sorbitol and xylitol cut plaque about the same as xylitol alone in these students.

• Concern

  Gut symptoms after eating¹⁹

  People with stomach complaints felt worse after eating sorbitol with fructose, though gas and hormone levels did not explain why.

Animal and lab studies only

• Concern

  Blood sugar and gut germs²²

  In animal studies, long-term sorbitol changed gut germs and made blood sugar harder to control.

Study type not stated

• Concern

  Tooth decay and plaque²¹

  Sorbitol in chewing gum feeds mouth bacteria that make acid, but xylitol in the same gum may cut that acid.

Allergies and intolerances

These are about people with an allergy, an intolerance or coeliac disease. The signal is about the ingredient itself, and these are about the person eating it, so the signal does not count them.

• Belly discomfort⁴

  In people with belly discomfort, sorbitol malabsorption was common, and diet changes improved their symptoms.

How it’s made and used

• Sugar alcohol in berries³

  Ripe blackberries, raspberries and strawberries contain little or no sorbitol, unlike dried plums and juices.

• Mouth feel after chewing gum⁶

  In people, sorbitol in sugar-free gum stuck to teeth and made mouths feel smoother for up to an hour.

• Blood sugar in diabetes⁸

  Sorbitol is a sweetener being looked at as a replacement for sugar in diabetic diets.

• Stomach emptying and absorption¹⁴

  In people, sorbitol left the stomach slower and was absorbed better when taken with glucose or fats.

• What it is used for²⁰

  Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol made from lactose and used in food and other products.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.

Expert panels that weigh all the research. Shown for context: the signal at the top does not count them.

• UN and WHO food additive experts (JECFA), 1982

  Reviewed its safety in 1982.