The Relationship Between Artificial Sweeteners and Heart Health
A comprehensive study was conducted on xylitol, which is widely used in products frequently consumed in daily life, such as sugar-free chewing gum, toothpaste, yogurt, jam, and ice cream. The study, presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress, found that high levels of xylitol in the blood increased the risk of serious cardiovascular disease.
Xylitol, which belongs to the sugar alcohol class, is found in very small amounts in some natural foods. However, in industrial production, this substance can be added to food, beverages, and oral care products in amounts that can reach up to 1,000 times natural levels. The long-term effects of xylitol, whose areas of use are expanding every day, on the cardiovascular system had not previously been investigated in detail in large populations.
Data from More Than 17 Thousand Participants Analyzed
The research team, led by Dr. Marco Witkowski of Berlin Charité University Hospital, analyzed data from 17,710 people.
The participants were divided into four groups according to their measured blood xylitol levels. The group in the highest 25% for xylitol levels was compared with the group in the lowest 25%.
The findings showed that individuals with the highest xylitol levels were 57% more likely to suffer a heart attack, experience a stroke, or die during the six-year follow-up. Long-term observations over thirty years found that this increase in risk remained at 18%. The research team also identified a dose-dependent relationship in which the frequency of cardiovascular events increased as blood xylitol levels rose.
Mechanism of Action Independent of Risk Factors
Analyses showed that the increase in risk in question was independent of the participants’ basic demographic characteristics, such as age and sex. It was emphasized that the results were also not influenced by underlying health conditions, such as body mass index, high blood pressure, diabetes, and blood lipid levels, that could lead people to choose low-calorie products.
It was observed that individuals with high blood xylitol levels had an increased tendency toward clotting and an independently elevated risk of cardiovascular events.
Experts state that artificial sweeteners are generally considered a healthier option compared with sugar. Despite their safety ratings, it is said that more clinical research is needed into the safety of long-term use of such food additives because of data showing that xylitol may trigger intravascular clotting processes.