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Sorbitol Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of sorbitol include constipation, diarrhoea, and acute kidney injury, based on 799 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025.

Sorbitol side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for sorbitol.

1
Constipation4.6%37
2
Diarrhoea4.1%33
3
Acute Kidney Injury4.1%33
4
Vomiting4.0%32
5
Chronic Kidney Disease4.0%32
6
Fatigue3.9%31
7
Pain3.8%30
8
Nausea3.6%29
9
Fall3.6%29
10
Renal Failure3.5%28
11
Vomiting3.1%25
12
Dizziness2.9%23
13
Hypotension2.9%23
14
Death2.8%22
15
Headache2.8%22

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that sorbitol caused these reactions.

Report severity

87.9%Serious702 reports
56.3%Hospitalizations450 reports
20.2%Fatal161 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Sorbitol drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside sorbitol. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Omeprazole4.5%36
2
Esomeprazole4.1%33
3
Sodium-polystyrene-sulfonate3.4%27
4
Carboplatin3.4%27
5
Aspirin3.1%25
6
Acetaminophen2.9%23
7
Rosuvastatin2.5%20
8
Lactulose2.4%19
9
Lansoprazole2.4%19
10
Warfarin2.3%18
11
Clozapine2.1%17
12
Darbepoetin-alfa2.1%17
13
Pantoprazole-sodium2.1%17
14
Dextrose2.1%17
15
Amlodipine2.0%16

Taken alongside

1
Acetaminophen26.3%210
2
Aspirin21.8%174
3
Furosemide17.0%136
4
Oxycodone14.4%115
5
Omeprazole13.1%105
6
Pantoprazole-sodium12.9%103
7
Albuterol12.3%98
8
Amlodipine11.6%93
9
Metoprolol11.5%92
10
Potassium-chloride10.5%84
11
Insulin9.9%79
12
Atorvastatin-calcium9.5%76
13
Ergocalciferol9.1%73
14
Lorazepam9.1%73
15
Lactulose9.0%72

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports sorbitol side effects

43.2% of sorbitol adverse event reports involve female patients and 50.8% involve male patients. The largest age group is elderly at 57%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female43.2%
Male50.8%
Unknown6.0%

Age group

< 20.2%
2–111.3%
12–170.6%
18–6441.3%
65+56.6%

What is sorbitol used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking sorbitol when the adverse event was reported.

Abnormal FaecesAnaphylactic ReactionAnorexiaArrhythmiaAbdominal PainAbnormal FaecesBladder HydrodistensionBladder IrrigationBlood Glucose IncreasedCachexiaCardiac DisorderChange Of Bowel HabitConstipationConstipation ProphylaxisCardiac Failure

Showing 15 of 55 indications

Sorbitol brand names and reporting trend

Sorbitol is sold under the brand name Sorbitol-mannitol In Plastic Container.

Brand names

Sorbitol-mannitol In Plastic Container834

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking sorbitol with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.