Sugar Substitutes and Safety

UPDATES on Ferret Food Recalls
Responses from Whole/Natural Prey Suppliers

We all know xylitol is bad for animals (specifically dogs and probably others).

Off hand, does anyone know whether erythritol is dangerous for animals, too?

It is another no-calorie sweetner that has no effect on glycemic index.
"In the body, erythritol is absorbed into the bloodstream in the small intestine, and then for the most part excreted unchanged in the urine. Because erythritol is normally absorbed before it enters the large intestine, it does not normally cause laxative effects as are often experienced after over-consumption of other sugar alcohols and most people will consume erythritol with no side effects. This is unique, as other sugar alcohols are not absorbed directly by the body in this manner. " (thefreelibrary.com)

It is often used as the main ingredient in a popular sweetener Rakanto where the second ingredient is the extract if the Asian fruit Rakan (Scientific name: Siraitia grosvenori, Chinese name: Luo Han Guo). It is interesting to note that Siraitia grosvenori has also shown anticarcinogenic activity. And although it is not a common problem with ferrets, a recent paper also points to an "antidiabetic effect of long-term supplementation".

However, why compare xylitol to erythritol?

Although the chemical makeup is different from xylitol - xylitol is C5 H12 O5 and erythritol is C4 H10 O4 - BOTH xylitol and erythritol fall into the category of "sugar alcohols". Because of that, even though liver toxicity in dogs is occurs because they don't have the liver enzymes necessary to deal with xylitol, I wonder whether xylitol and erythritol might share some of the same properties in terms of safety?

UPDATE @ FerretKnots

Disclaimer: I am not a DVM. Advice is offered after my own extensive research and/or experience and should be undertaken at your own risk. Consult with your licensed DVM before undertaking any treatment!

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