Sweetener xylitol linked to higher risk of heart attacks and strokes

People who had higher levels of xylitol in their blood were more likely to have a heart attack or stroke within the next three years, with lab experiments suggesting the sweetener promotes blood clotting.

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Sweetener xylitol linked to higher risk of heart attacks and strokes
People who had higher levels of xylitol in their blood were more likely to have a heart attack or stroke within the next three years, with lab experiments suggesting the sweetener promotes blood clotting

By Christa Lesté-Lasserre

6 June 2024

Xylitol is often marketed as a “natural” way of sweetening drinks and food

Pixel-shot/Alamy

A sweetener called xylitol that is commonly used in sugar-free drinks, chewing gum and toothpaste has been linked to a higher risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Often marketed as “low-carb”, “natural” and “keto-friendly”, xylitol is a sugar alcohol that is found in fruits and vegetables, but at about 1000 times lower levels than those added to commercial products. It can also be artificially prepared via chemical reactions from plant materials.

Last year, Stanley Hazen at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio and his colleagues found that the sweetener erythritol was associated with an increased cardiovascular risk. Wondering if xylitol may also affect heart health, Hazen led a investigation of 3306 adults in the US and Europe.
The researchers analysed a one-off blood sample from the participants to check their xylitol levels after they fasted overnight. Over a three-year follow-up period, the team found that a third of those who had the highest levels of circulating xylitol were more likely to experience a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke.