New Study Links Xylitol, a Common Sugar Substitute, to Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Events

Cleveland, Ohio United States of America
Further studies needed to assess long-term safety of xylitol for heart health
New study links xylitol to increased risk of cardiovascular events
Study found people with highest levels of xylitol had third higher risk of cardiovascular event within three years
Xylitol causes platelets to clot more readily, increasing thrombosis risk
New Study Links Xylitol, a Common Sugar Substitute, to Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Events

In a recent study published in the European Heart Journal, researchers from the Cleveland Clinic found that higher levels of xylitol, a common sugar substitute used in sugar-free products, are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke. The team led by Stanley Hazen analyzed data from over 3,000 adults in the US and Europe and discovered that those with the highest levels of circulating xylitol were more likely to experience a cardiovascular event within three years.

Xylitol is often marketed as a natural alternative to sugar, but it can be found in various processed foods and oral products like toothpaste. The researchers also conducted preclinical testing and found that xylitol caused platelets to clot more readily, increasing the risk of thrombosis.

The study adds to previous research linking erythritol, another sugar alcohol, to an increased cardiovascular risk. Further studies are needed to assess the long-term safety of xylitol for heart health.

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol commonly used in sugar-free products and has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke. A study published in the European Heart Journal found that people with higher levels of circulating xylitol were more likely to experience a cardiovascular event within three years.

The researchers, led by Stanley Hazen from the Cleveland Clinic, analyzed data from over 3,000 adults in the US and Europe. They discovered that those with the highest levels of xylitol had a third higher risk of experiencing a cardiovascular event compared to those with lower levels.

Xylitol is often marketed as a natural alternative to sugar, but it can be found in various processed foods and oral products like toothpaste. The researchers also conducted preclinical testing and found that xylitol caused platelets to clot more readily, increasing the risk of thrombosis.

The study adds to previous research linking erythritol, another sugar alcohol, to an increased cardiovascular risk. Further studies are needed to assess the long-term safety of xylitol for heart health.


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Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • Are there any potential confounding factors in the study that could influence the results?
  • Could other lifestyle factors or medications have contributed to the increased risk of cardiovascular events in those with higher xylitol levels?

Sources

76%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Common low-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds

CNN News Site: In-Depth Reporting and Analysis with Some Financial Conflicts and Sensational Language Sandee LaMotte Thursday, 06 June 2024 11:00
  • Unique Points
    • Study finds link between xylitol, a popular zero-calorie sweetener, and increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, and death.
    • , Xylitol is used in many reduced-sugar foods and consumer products such as gum and toothpaste.
    • Consuming xylitol can cause blood platelets to clot more readily.
    • Clots can travel to the heart or brain, triggering a heart attack or stroke.
    • Differences in platelet behavior were seen even after consuming a modest quantity of xylitol in a typical drink.
    • Reducing clotting activity is important for cardiovascular health as it's used to counteract platelet activity during heart attacks.
    • Xylitol is often marketed as natural and low carb/keto friendly, but it’s made from corncobs, birch trees or genetically engineered bacteria.
    • Many professional associations recommend xylitol for patients with obesity, diabetes or prediabetes to improve glycemic control.
    • Exposure to xylitol has increased over the last two decades due to its recognition as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the US Food and Drug Administration.
    • Research suggests some artificial sweeteners may create a backlash in the metabolic system, making weight loss more difficult.
  • Accuracy
    • Study finds link between xylitol and increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, and death.
    • Xylitol increases clotting in the blood by triggering the activation of platelets.
    • Higher levels of circulating xylitol were associated with an elevated three-year risk of cardiovascular events.
  • Deception (30%)
    The article makes several statements that could be considered sensational and selectively reports information to support the author's position. The title itself is sensational and implies a definitive link between xylitol consumption and heart attacks and strokes, which may not be entirely accurate based on the study results. The article also quotes experts making opinions about the study findings without providing any context or counter-arguments, which could potentially mislead readers. Additionally, some statements in the article imply that xylitol is a new substance that humans have only recently begun ingesting in large quantities due to processed foods, but this is not entirely accurate as xylitol can be found naturally in small amounts in certain fruits and vegetables.
    • People who consume the highest levels of the sweetener may be nearly twice as likely to have a heart attack, stroke or die.
    • Clots can break off and travel to the heart, triggering a heart attack, or to the brain, triggering a stroke.
    • Popular zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The author makes an appeal to authority with the quotes from Dr. Stanley Hazen and Dr. Matthew Tomey, but does not provide any explicit fallacies in these quotes. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric by stating that 'reducing clotting activity is a key treatment used by cardiologists, so any additional clotting in platelets is a bad sign.' However, this statement is true and not a fallacy.
    • ]People with the highest levels of xylitol compared to those with the lowest levels had nearly twice the risk of heart attack, stroke and death[
    • ']We gave healthy volunteers a typical drink with xylitol to see how high the levels would get and they went up 1,000-fold[
    • ']These experiments are interesting but alone do not prove that platelet abnormalities are to account for a linkage between xylitol and clinical events[
  • Bias (80%)
    The author expresses a clear bias against xylitol and other sugar substitutes by implying that they are dangerous and unnatural, despite acknowledging that they are marketed as natural and low-carb. The author also quotes experts who express concern about the potential health risks of these sweeteners without providing any counterarguments or perspectives from those who may disagree.
    • Research has shown some artificial sweeteners may create a backlash in the metabolic system, triggering the body to expect more calories, thus making weight loss more difficult.
      • The World Health Organization warned consumers in 2023 to avoid artificial sweeteners for weight loss
        • We're targeting the wrong people.
          • yet people at risk for diabetes are among the most vulnerable for clotting events
          • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication

          88%

          The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
          (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

          A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

          The Popular Sugar Substitute Xylitol Could Have Some Major Heart-Health Risks

          TIME Magazine Alice Park Thursday, 06 June 2024 17:31
          • Unique Points
            • A study published in the European Heart Journal links higher levels of xylitol to a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and death.
            • Xylitol increases clotting in the blood by triggering the activation of platelets.
            • People with no history of heart disease also had increased risk based on xylitol levels.
          • Accuracy
            • People who did not have a history of heart disease also had increased risk based on xylitol levels.
          • Deception (50%)
            The article is deceptive in its omission of the fact that xylitol and erythritol are naturally occurring substances. The author implies that these substances are synthetic like aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin which would make them more suspect. However, by not disclosing that they occur naturally she creates an illusion of danger.
            • In a study published Thursday in the European Heart Journal, an international group of researchers led by a team at the Cleveland Clinic report that higher levels of xylitol...are linked to a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and death.
            • But sweeteners that mimic the taste of sugar with fewer—or no—calories could be increasing, rather than decreasing, the risk of some heart events.
            • Losing weight is one the best ways to lower your risk of heart disease...
          • Fallacies (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Bias (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication

          88%

          The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
          (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

          A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

          Sweetener xylitol linked to higher risk of heart attacks and strokes

          New Scientist Magazine Christa Lesté-Lasserre Thursday, 06 June 2024 17:32
          • Unique Points
            • Xylitol, a sugar alcohol commonly used in sugar-free products, has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks or strokes.
          • Accuracy
            • Xylitol, a sugar alcohol commonly used in sugar-free products, can promote blood clotting according to lab experiments.
            • Many professional associations recommend xylitol for patients with obesity, diabetes or prediabetes to improve glycemic control.
          • Deception (80%)
            The article does not make any editorializing or pontification statements by the author. However, there are instances of selective reporting and sensationalism. The author only reports details that support the author's position about xylitol being linked to a higher risk of heart attacks and strokes without mentioning any potential benefits or contradictory studies. The title itself is sensational as it implies a definitive link between xylitol and heart attacks and strokes, which may not be the case based on the study's findings. The author also quotes Stanley Hazen making statements about the need for investigating sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners, but this does not add any deceptive practices to the article.
            • Health People who had higher levels of xylitol in their blood were more likely to have a heart attack or stroke within the next three years
            • The researchers found that a third of those who had the highest levels of circulating xylitol were more likely to experience a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke
          • Fallacies (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Bias (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication

          97%

          The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
          (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

          A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

          Study links xylitol to increased risk of heart attack and stroke

          MedicalXpress Science X Thursday, 06 June 2024 17:33
          • Unique Points
            • Cleveland Clinic researchers found higher amounts of the sugar alcohol xylitol are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke.
            • Xylitol is a common sugar substitute used in sugar-free candy, gums, baked goods, and oral products like toothpaste.
            • High levels of circulating xylitol were associated with an elevated three-year risk of cardiovascular events in an analysis of more than 3,000 patients in the U.S. and Europe.
            • Xylitol caused platelets to clot and heightened the risk of thrombosis, according to preclinical testing conducted by the research team.
            • Further studies assessing the long-term cardiovascular safety of xylitol are warranted, according to the authors.
          • Accuracy
            • Consuming xylitol can cause blood platelets to clot more readily.
          • Deception (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Fallacies (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Bias (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication