Xylitol and Heart Disease - What You Need to Know

Xylitol Sweetener: Potential Heart Disease Risks Explored

What is Xylitol?  

The sweetness of xylitol is equal to sugar with only half the calories compared to the latter. The xylitol is often used in breath mints, sugarless gum, tooth paste, cough syrup, mouth wash and chewable vitamins. It is usually added in larger quantities to baked goods, candy, cake mixes, ketchup, barbecue sauces, peanut butter, pancake and more.

Xylitol is basically a sugar alcohol, a carbohydrate naturally present in foods such as eggplant, cauliflower, lettuce, mushrooms, plums, spinach, raspberries and strawberries. Nevertheless, the amount of xylitol present in those natural sources is minimal.

For the purpose of commercial use, xylitol is created from birch trees, corncobs or genetically engineered bacteria. It is sold as natural sweetener in the market since it doesn’t escalate blood sugar levels. It is also promoted as low card and keto friendly. 

Multiple professional associations also suggest xylitol as a sugar substitute for patients with pre-diabetes or diabetes and obesity to improve glycemic control.  

But, this low-calorie sweetener is linked to nearly twice the risk of heart attacks, stroke and death in people who consume the highest levels of the sweetener, a new study found.

The Study

A latest NIH-funded study by a team of researches, recommended that an artificial sweetener called erythritol might increase the risk of heart disease. Erythritol is among the class of compounds known as sugar alcohols. Xylitol is also a sugar alcohol which is commonly used as a low-calorie sweetener and sugar substitute. 

Similar to erythritol, tiny amounts of xylitol are found naturally in vegetables and fruits. It is also generated in the human body as part of normal metabolism. However, the levels of xylitol in artificially sweetened foods can be more than 1,000-fold higher than those found naturally in foods.

In their previous study, the team discovered that blood erythritol and xylitol were linked with future risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, namely stroke or heart attack. 

For this study, the team examined a group of more than 2,000 people using a method to better differentiate from related compounds. The results were published in the European Heart Journal. 

The team found that people with the highest xylitol levels were fifty per cent more likely to have heart diseases over the next three years compared to those with the lowest. 

The blood components known as platelets assist blood to clot. In the group’s previous research, erythritol made platelets more reactive to blood clotting signals. In this study, the researchers made human platelets vulnerable to xylitol to find if it had the same effect. 

As a result, the platelets’ sensitivity to blood clotting signals increased as erythritol did. Escalated blood xylitol levels also accelerate blood clot formation and artery blockage in mice. 

The team further tested how xylitol consumption impacts blood xylitol levels and platelet function in people. To determine that, they took blood samples from 10 healthy people before and after drinking a xylitol-sweetened beverage. 

Blood xylitol levels multiplied 1,000-fold within 30 minutes of drinking and recurred to baseline after 4 to 6 hours. The platelets turned more sensitive to blood clotting signals when xylitol blood levels were high. 

The results highlighted that xylitol, like erythritol, may have long-term cardiovascular health issues. Both xylitol and erythritol were linked to increased blood clot formation. This, in turn, could maximise the risk of heart attack or stroke. Concerning the results, further safety studies of sugar alcohol as artificial sweeteners are warranted.
This study again put forward the immediate need to investigate sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners, particularly as they continue to be recommended in fighting against conditions such as obesity or diabetes. 

Summary

A latest study has found that excessive consumption of xylitol, a zero-calorie sugar substitute present in mutiple processed foods, such as gum, peanut butter, baked goods, and candies, may boost the likelihood of experiencing a heart attack or stroke. The study highlights that the sweetener could potentially impede with platelet function and elevate the risk of blood clot formation, potentially leading to a cardiovascular event.