Higher xylitol levels are linked to a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and death, according to a study published in the European Heart Journal by an international group of researchers led by the Cleveland Clinic.
Xylitol, a sugar substitute, triggers platelet activation and leads to increased clotting in the blood. The study involved injecting xylitol in mice to analyze its effects on the cardiovascular system.
Drinking a xylitol-based beverage caused xylitol levels to spike by 1000 fold in the plasma, along with increased clotting factors, unlike a glucose-based beverage. Xylitol levels predicted cardiac events even in individuals without a history of heart disease.
Dr. Stanley Hazen, the senior author of the study, compares the consideration of xylitol's impact on heart disease to cholesterol, emphasizing the importance of understanding and monitoring its effects.
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