Health

Low-Calorie Sweetener Tied to Higher Heart Attack and Stroke Risk

Jun 6, 2024 1 min read

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Recent research conducted by the Cleveland Clinic has identified a potential link between the sugar alcohol xylitol and an increased risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes. The study, led by Dr. Stanley Hazen, director of the Center for Cardiovascular Diagnostics and Prevention at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, found that individuals with high levels of xylitol in their bloodstream had nearly double the risk of experiencing such events. This correlation was confirmed through a combination of large-scale patient analyses, preclinical research models, and clinical intervention studies.

In the study, healthy volunteers who consumed beverages containing xylitol exhibited a 1,000-fold increase in the sweetener's levels in their blood. Similar findings were reported for another sugar alcohol, erythritol, which is commonly used in products containing stevia, monk fruit, and keto-friendly reduced sugar items. Laboratory and animal research indicated that both xylitol and erythritol could lead to increased blood clotting. The findings, published in the European Heart Journal, underscore the need for further investigation into the long-term cardiovascular safety of sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners, especially given the projection that 61% of American adults may develop cardiovascular disease by 2050.

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