CARBOHYDRATE-METABOLISM AND URINARY-EXCRETION OF CALCIUM AND OXALATE AFTER INGESTION OF POLYOL SWEETENERS

Polyols are widely used instead of glucose and sucrose in sweets and d ietary products because they are barely cariogenic, and their energy v alue is lower. In addition, it has been shown that calciuria and oxalu ria increase after an oral glucose (Glu) load. We, therefore, investig ated the effects of a single polyol ingestion on carbohydrate, calcium , phosphate, and oxalate metabolism in 10 healthy subjects. On 5 exper imental days, subjects ingested 20 g Glu, Lycasin (Lyc), Maltisorb (Ma l), sorbitol (Sor), or xylitol (Xyl). Glu, Lyc, and Mal intake caused an increase in glycemia [respectively, +34% (P < 0.001), +15% (P < 0.0 01), and +15% (P < 0.001)], insulinemia [respectively, +358% (P < 0.00 1), +88% (P < 0.05), and +94% (P < 0.01)), and C-peptide level [respec tively, +170% (P < 0.001), +15% (P < 0.01), and +15% (P < 0.001)]. Con versely, no change occurred in glycemia, insulinemia, or C-peptide lev els after ingestion of Sor or Xyl. Urinary calcium increased after Glu (+64%; P < 0.01) and Xyl (+74%; P < 0.01) intake, and urinary phospha te increased after Xyl (+27%; P < 0.05), but decreased after a Glu loa d (-68%; P < 0.01). Only Xyl increased urinary excretion of oxalate (53%; P < 0.05). Our results suggest that ingestion of polyols causes a much lesser pancreatic stimulation than Glu intake. Also, Lyc, Mal, a nd Sor sweeteners have no effect on urinary excretion of calcium and o xalate, whereas calciuria and oxaluria increase after Xyl ingestion.