A low-calorie sweetener found in peanut butter, toothpaste, gum and hundreds of other snacks may increase the risk of stroke or heart attack, a study suggests.
Xylitol is praised as a ‘natural’ and ‘healthy’ sweetener because it is found in fruits and vegetables, unlike other sugar substitutes such as Splenda, which are completely synthetic.
But now researchers at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio have found – in a study of 3,000 adults aged about 65 – that those who consumed the most xylitol were almost twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke in the next three years than those who eat the least.
Laboratory research has shown that the sweetener can ‘boost’ blood clotting, increasing the risk of the conditions.
Dr. Stanley Hazen, a cardiologist who led the research, said: ‘This study once again demonstrates the immediate need for research into sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners, especially as they continue to be recommended in the control of conditions such as obesity or diabetes.’
He added: ‘It doesn’t mean you should throw away your toothpaste if it contains xylitol.
‘But we should be aware that consuming a product with high concentrations may increase the risk of blood clot-related events.’
Xylitol is absorbed directly into the blood after consumption, with researchers saying it can then interact with platelets – or clotting factors – making them more likely to clump together.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that occurs naturally in small amounts and is also produced by the human body in very small amounts.
It looks and tastes like sugar and contains about 40 percent fewer calories.
Part of its appeal is that it isn’t supposed to spike blood sugar levels like table sugar, with studies showing that consistently elevated blood sugar levels increase the risk of conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
Eating large amounts of sugar on a regular basis has also been linked to multiple health problems, including cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and high blood pressure.
Xylitol is found in gums, mints and toothpastes to give them a sweeter taste
The new study was observational and did not prove that xylitol increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes, but rather another factor.
But laboratory studies found that consuming xylitol increased the risk of platelets forming blood clots.
This increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes because the newly formed clots can get stuck in the blood vessels of the heart or brain.
This would cut off the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the cells, causing them to die or breathe anaerobically – without oxygen – causing the conditions.
Dr. Hazen added NBC News: ‘(In our study) it only takes xylitol to interact with the platelets for a very short period of time, a matter of minutes. The platelets then become super charged and much more sensitive to clots.’
The patients in the study were on average about 65 years old, mainly men, from Europe and the US, and were likely overweight.
During the experiments, they all had their blood tested for a substance related to the consumption of xylitol.
The scientists did not reveal the amount of xylitol consumed daily by the participants that could increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Previous studies have suggested that it is safe to consume between 0.4 and 1.1 oz of the sweetener per day.
The amount of xylitol in chewing gum is typically between 0.01 and 0.03 oz per stick, while a dollop of toothpaste can contain about 0.01 oz of the sweetener.
Brands that contain xylitol include Trident and Airhead brand chewing gum, Mentos mints, and ACT and Tom brand toothpastes.
Nuts’m more peanut butter may also contain the sweetener, as can some sugar-free pudding options sold in stores including Wegmans. Consumers are advised to check the back of a product to see if it contains the sweetener.
This is the latest warning about sweeteners and comes from the same team that last year linked the sweetener erythritol – popular in sweets and baked goods – to the risk of cardiovascular disease.
About 141 million Americans consume sweeteners at least once a year, a number that continues to rise due to the desire for sweet products without the calories.
But amid rising use, it has prompted warnings from some quarters that sweeteners could increase the risk of multiple health problems.