Editing Sorbitol (section)

==Medical importance==
[[Aldose reductase]] is the first enzyme in the [[Polyol pathway|sorbitol-aldose reductase pathway]]<ref>{{cite journal | pmid = 10783895 | year = 2000 | last1 = Nishikawa | first1 = T | last2 = Edelstein | first2 = D | last3 = Du | first3 = XL | last4 = Yamagishi | first4 = S | last5 = Matsumura | first5 = T | last6 = Kaneda | first6 = Y | last7 = Yorek | first7 = MA | last8 = Beebe | first8 = D | last9 = Oates | first9 = PJ | last10 = Oates | first10 = Peter J. | last11 = Hammes | first11 = Hans-Peter | last12 = Giardino | first12 = Ida | title = Normalizing mitochondrial superoxide production blocks three pathways of hyperglycaemic damage | volume = 404 | issue = 6779 | pages = 787–90 | doi = 10.1038/35008121 | journal = Nature | bibcode = 2000Natur.404..787N | s2cid = 4426750 | display-authors = 8 }}</ref> responsible for the reduction of glucose to sorbitol, as well as the reduction of [[galactose]] to [[galactitol]]. Too much sorbitol trapped in retinal cells, the cells of the lens, and the [[Schwann cells]] that [[myelin]]ate peripheral nerves, is a frequent result of long-term hyperglycemia that accompanies poorly controlled [[diabetes]]. This can damage these cells, leading to [[retinopathy]], [[cataract]]s and peripheral [[neuropathy]], respectively. 

Sorbitol is fermented in the colon and produces short-chain fatty acids, which are beneficial to overall colon health.<ref name=":2">{{cite journal | last1 = Islam | first1 = M. S. | last2 = Sakaguchi | first2 = E | year = 2006 | title = Sorbitol-based osmotic diarrhea: Possible causes and mechanism of prevention investigated in rats | journal = World Journal of Gastroenterology | volume = 12 | issue = 47| pages = 7635–7641 | doi=10.3748/wjg.v12.i47.7635| pmid = 17171792 | pmc = 4088045 | doi-access = free }}</ref>