Typical weight-conscious people strive to be leaner by restricting the amount of food intake during the day. They believe that whatever food is not metabolized properly almost always turn into fat. Over-consumption of food that goes beyond what the body really requires to function well is the culprit behind excessive weight gain.

People who go on diets usually think that the key to losing weight is cutting down on sugar. That is a correct assumption. However, many weight watchers also fall prey to the trap of the so-called sugar substitute fallacy. By using sugar substitutes, they lessen the caloric intake and prevent weight gain --- or so they thought. In fact, excessive use of the sweetener Sorbitol may cause extreme weight loss and other problems. They may prevent weight gain by using sweeteners or sugar substitutes such as Sorbitol. But the truth is, they may still be putting themselves at risk.

Sorbitol is a bulk sweetener found in numerous food products. It is 60% as sweet as sucrose but with 1/3 fewer calories. Aside from providing sweetness, sorbitol is an excellent humectant and texturizing agent. It is non-carcinogenic and is a sugar replacement for people with diabetes.

But it turns out that, if taken in large amounts, Sorbitol may produce some unpleasant effects.. There are two cases of patients who used Sorbitol in large amounts and later on experienced radical, unexplained weight loss.

The first case involved a 21-year old woman who had experienced unexplained diarrhea and abdominal pain for eight months and lost 24 pounds unintentionally, weighing in at about 90 pounds. During the interview, she said she chewed sugar-free gum that contained sorbitol daily on a daily basis. The gum habit made her consume about 18-20 grams of Sorbitol each day. As soon as she cut out the Sorbitol from her diet, she began to experience gastrointestinal problems. After losing so many pounds without a doctor's supervsion, she eventually regained 15 pounds after stopping the use of the artificial sweetener.

The second case was about a 46-year old man who had been brought to the hospital due to diarrhea and a weight loss of 48 pounds during the previous year. When asked about his diet, it turned out that the man had excessive intake of sorbitol, chewing 20 sticks of sugar-free gum daily and eating about 7 ounces of sweets daily, totalling to about 30 grams of sorbitol. However, he gained back 11 pounds within 6 months and his diarrhea problems disappeared when he stopped the sorbitol.

Based on these cases, it is clearly important to become well-informed about the effects of Sorbitol and other artificial replacements and additives. People who want to lose weight must closely coordinate with their doctor and other health providers regarding the use of safe weight loss products and methods.

According to Dr. Roger Clemens, a spokesman for the Institute of Food Technologists and professor of pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Southern California, a number of reports have surfaced about the side effects of Sorbitol. These side effects include abdominal pain and diarrhea. ?The laxative effect of Sorbitol has been very well-documented,? said. He noted that the average consumer should not consume more than 20 sticks of gum daily.

Manufacturers of products with Sorbitol are required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to put a warning label especially for items that contain at least 50 grams of the said substance. Patty Truant, a spokeswoman for the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, D.C. said that levels under 50 grams of sorbitol daily may still cause problems for some people. In 1999, the Center petitioned the FDA to require a more informative label on sorbitol-containing products, noting that problems such as diarrhea can occur with as few as 10 grams a day of the sweetener.

William Wrigley Jr. Company, the firm that makes the world-famous chewing gum containing sorbitol, came out with a statement through their spokeperson Chris Perille that to reach the threshold of excessive consumption of sorbitol through the use of gum alone at levels set by the FDA would mean chewing close to 50 sticks or 100 pellets of gum daily. This was supported by a statement from Tonia Elrod, a spokeswoman for Procter & Gamble, the company that manufactures toothpaste that contains the said product.

Sorbitol has been safely used in processed foods for almost half a century. It is also used in other products, such as pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Sorbitol is found in toothpaste, chewing gum and sweets. Since sorbitol is not easily absorbed, excess water may enter the gastrointestinal tract and may lead to diarrhea. People who rely on artificially sweetened products to help manage their diabetes or to reduce overall calories, are advised to use such products moderately.