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Popular Sugar Substitute Linked to 57% Higher Risk of Heart Attack or Stroke
AOL.com • • health
Key Points:
- A long-term study of 17,710 adults found that those with the highest blood levels of xylitol had a 57% increased risk of heart attack, stroke, or death over six years compared to those with the lowest levels, according to the European Society of Cardiology.
- The association persisted after adjusting for factors like smoking, cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension, age, and sex, and was observed in both Canadian and British cohorts, with a dose-response relationship between blood xylitol and cardiovascular events.
- Xylitol, commonly used as a sugar substitute in sugar-free gum, candy, baked goods, toothpaste, and some nut butters, may enhance platelet clotting, providing a plausible biological mechanism for the increased cardiovascular risk.
- Experts emphasize that the findings do not prove causation and call for further research to better understand the cardiovascular safety of xylitol, advising consumers to check ingredient labels but not to panic.
