Xylitol linked to higher heart attack risk

High levels of the common artificial sweetener xylitol in the blood are associated with a significantly increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and death, according to a large-scale study presented at the European Society of Cardiology's annual congress in Munich. The research, which analyzed data from over 17,000 people, found that individuals with the highest xylitol levels had a 57% greater risk of major cardiovascular events over a six-year period compared to those with the lowest levels.

The findings were presented by Dr. Marco Witkowski of Charité University Hospital in Berlin. The study combined data from two long-term observational cohorts: the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging and the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC-Norfolk). Researchers measured xylitol directly from blood samples, avoiding reliance on dietary recall. Over a six-year follow-up in one cohort, those in the top quartile for xylitol levels faced a 57% higher risk of heart attack, stroke, or premature death after adjusting for factors like age, sex, smoking, and high blood pressure. In the other cohort, which followed participants for 30 years, the risk remained 18% higher for those...