• Posted August 26, 2026

Popular Sugar Substitute Linked To Higher Heart Risk

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 26, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Xylitol is a popular artificial sweetener found in everything from sugar-free foods and drinks to gum and oral care products.

But new research is raising questions about its long-term heart safety.

"In previous studies, we showed that xylitol can enhance the ability of platelets to form clots," said co-author Dr. Marco Witkowski of Charité University Hospital in Berlin. 

"We also found that high blood levels of xylitol were linked to cardiovascular events in high-risk individuals over a three-year period," he added in a news release. "Here we studied if xylitol increases cardiovascular events in a larger sample of the general population over much longer follow-up."

A team of investigators analyzed data from more than 17,700 people in two large, long-term studies.

In both, people with the highest blood levels of xylitol had a greater risk of heart attack, stroke or death than those with the lowest levels. 

In one group, which was followed for six years, the risk was 57% higher. In the other, followed for 30 years, it was 18% higher.

The association held regardless of factors such as body mass index (an estimate of body fat based on height and weight); high blood pressure; diabetes; and lipid levels, according to the results.

"Artificial sweeteners are consumed by people who think they are healthier than sugar and they are generally regarded as safe by regulatory agencies," Witkowski said. "Our long-term findings in the general population highlight how little we know about the cardiovascular safety of xylitol and indicate that further studies are warranted."

A spokesperson for the European Society of Cardiology said the findings suggest xylitol may have negative long-term effects on heart health. Because this was an observational study, however, it  shows only an association and cannot prove that xylitol caused the increased risk.

The findings are scheduled for presentation Saturday in Munich at the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology. Findings presented at medical meetings are considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

Harvard Health has more on xylitol.

SOURCE: HealthDay TV, Aug. 26, 2026