Common low-calorie sweetener linked to heart risks
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A recent study published in the European Heart Journal has revealed a potential association between the common low-calorie sweetener, xylitol, and an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. The Cleveland Clinic-led study analyzed data from more than 3,000 patients in the U.S. and Europe, showing that high consumption of xylitol could increase the risk of blood clot-related events. Xylitol is commonly found in sugar-free candies, baked goods, and toothpaste, and its use has increased significantly in processed foods marketed as healthy alternatives. The study’s authors call for further research assessing the long-term cardiovascular safety of xylitol.
Source
Marco Witkowski, Ina Nemet, Xinmin S Li, Jennifer Wilcox, Marc Ferrell, Hassan Alamri, Nilaksh Gupta, Zeneng Wang, Wai Hong Wilson Tang, Stanley L Hazen, Xylitol is prothrombotic and associated with cardiovascular risk, European Heart Journal, 2024;, ehae244, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehae244