In efforts to offset increasing rates of diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease, sugar substitutes and sugar alcohols have replaced sugar in a variety of products, ranging from baked goods to maple syrup. However, a study in the European Heart Journal adds to a growing body of evidence that these sweeteners may have the opposite effect. In this case, researchers studied immediate responses and long-term outcomes associated with the sugar alcohol xylitol.
Through an observational study, they found elevated circulating levels of xylitol were associated with increased incidents of major cardiovascular events, such as having a heart attack or stroke, among adults, many of whom had heart disease, years later. Through basic research with human blood samples and mice, they studied underlying mechanisms of xylitol’s response in the body and found that the sugar alcohol produced effects similar to the early stages of blood clotting. An additional study with 10 people was conducted to measure the impact the sugar alcohol had after it was ingested through a glass of water. The amounts provided to participants were similar to those you would find in xylitol-sweetened ice cream or candy. Thirty minutes after the drink, the participants had levels 1,000 times higher than before — which eventually returned to normal hours later.
The authors note that many products, including toothpaste, contain xylitol, and this doesn’t mean that people should avoid these products completely but the findings are important for awareness about the impact xylitol can have in the body — especially for people with cardiovascular disease risks. They conclude more research is needed to understand these effects. The research was supported by NHLBI and the Office of Dietary Supplements.