Robert Gamble (@Rfgamble)

Popular Sugar Substitute Linked To Higher Heart Risk By HealthDay Staff HealthDay Reporter Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, Senior Medical Editor, B. Pharm. Last updated on Aug 26, 2026. WEDNESDAY, Aug. 26, 2026 — 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 .. https://www.drugs.com/news/popular-sugar-substitute-linked-higher-heart-risk-131121.html?utm_source=ddc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily+Mednews+++August+27++2026&utm_content=Popular+Sugar+Substitute+Linked+To+Higher+Heart+Risk&hash2=67c18834e7adf7d56a107d539fe7968f