Along the lines of "you can have too much of a good thing," a recent report in the British Medical Journal describes the result of over-consumption of sugarless gum sweetened with sorbitol, a sugar alcohol.
Two patients were seen at a Berlin hospital with perplexing symptoms -- chronic diarrhea and other bowel problems, and substantial unexplained weight loss (about 20% of normal body weight). Both patients had undergone extensive diagnostic tests without solving their problems. Then, an astute clinician asked about their usual dietary intake and discovered that the sufferers typically chewed from sixteen to twenty sticks of sorbitol-sweetened gum per day.
Sorbitol is poorly absorbed in the intestinal tract, which is why it provides fewer than the four calories per gram of regular sugar. Although this makes it a good candidate for sweetening reduced-calorie foods and beverages, it also means that it stays in the intestinal tract, attracts water and provides a substrate for bacterial action. The result: diarrhea and other bowel problems -- if too much is consumed.
The moral of the story is, of course, that moderation is key in all aspects of diet, even the supposedly harmless sugarless candies and gum. So enjoy such products -- just not too much.
Ruth Kava, Ph.D., R.D., is Director of Nutrition at the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH.org, HealthFactsAndFears.com).