Xylitol—the sugar substitute in cakes, sweets and toothpastes—can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
The sugar alcohol ingredient that’s added to processed food as a ‘healthy’ alternative causes blood to clot, say researchers from Cleveland Clinic.
They analysed more than 3,000 people in the US and Europe for three years and discovered that a third of those with higher levels of xylitol in their blood plasma were also more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke. In follow-up studies, they discovered that xylitol causes platelets to clot and raises the risk of thrombosis.
They also compared the effects of a xylitol-sweetened drink against one with glucose, and found that blood clotting increased dramatically immediately after drinking the xylitol drink,
The same researchers made a similar discovery last year when they investigated the safety of erythritol, another sugar substitute that is more commonly used in North America.
The sugar alcohols and other artificial sweeteners are seen as healthier alternatives, especially for people combatting obesity and diabetes, but people need to understand the risks they pose, the researchers say.
“It does not mean throw out your toothpaste if it has xylitol in it, but we should be aware that consumption of a product containing high levels could increase the risk of blood clot-related events,” said Stanley Hazen, one of the researchers.
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