Sugar substitute linked to increased risk of heart attack and stroke

Xylitol is a common sugar substitute used in candy, chewing gum, baked goods, and sugar-free oral products such as toothpaste.. Over the past decade, the use of sugar substitutes, including sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners, has increased significantly in processed foods promoted as healthy alternatives.

The same research group last year found a similar link between erythritol and cardiovascular risk.

“This study further demonstrates the urgent need to study sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners, especially as they continue to be recommended to combat diseases such as obesity or diabetes,” says Hazen, the study’s director.

Although he clarifies that this does not mean that ” TUse toothpaste if it contains xylitol.“But we need to be aware that eating a product high in this substance may increase the risk of blood clots.”

In this new work, researchers found that high circulating levels of xylitol were associated with an increased three-year risk of cardiovascular events in an analysis of more than 3,000 patients in the US and Europe.

The one-third of patients with the highest plasma xylitol levels were the most likely to experience cardiovascular events.

To confirm the findings, the research team conducted preclinical trials and found that xylitol caused platelet clotting and increased the risk of thrombosis.

The researchers also tracked platelet activity in people who drank a xylitol-sweetened drink versus a glucose-sweetened drink and found that each measure of clotting ability increased significantly immediately after taking xylitol, but not glucose.

The authors note that their data warrants further research to evaluate the long-term cardiovascular safety of xylitol.

However, the study had several limitations, including the fact that clinical observational studies demonstrate association rather than causation.