Another common artificial sweetener linked to higher risk of heart attack, stroke
A sugar substitute commonly found in candy, baked goods and even toothpaste may be bad for the heart, according to new data published in the European Heart Journal.[1]
A team of cardiologists and cardiovascular specialists with Cleveland Clinic tracked the eating habits of more than 3,000 patients in the United States and Europe. Overall, consuming high amounts of xylitol, a popular artificial sweetener, was associated with a significantly higher three-year risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event (MACE), including a heart attack or stroke.
“This study again shows the immediate need for investigating sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners, especially as they continue to be recommended in combatting conditions like obesity or diabetes,” senior author Stanley Hazen, MD, PhD, chair of cardiovascular and metabolic sciences at Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute and co-section head of preventive cardiology in its Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute, said in a statement. “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.”
Hazen et al. also tracked signs of platelet activity among patients who consumed drinks sweetened with xylitol and glucose, noting that the xylitol-sweetened beverages resulted in immediate rises in clotting activity. Glucose-sweetened beverages, meanwhile, were not linked to such a change. The team’s research was funded by the National Institutes of Health as well as its Office of Dietary Supplements.
Click here to read the full analysis. Click here to read about the same group’s research into another popular artificial sweetener, erythritol, from 2023.
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.