Study Finds Link Between Xylitol Consumption and Higher Heart Attack and Stroke Risk
Research presented by the European Society of Cardiology shows that elevated blood levels of the artificial sweetener xylitol are associated with an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes in Canadian and European cohorts.
A study presented at the European Society of Cardiology's 2026 conference reported that people with the highest concentrations of the artificial sweetener xylitol in their blood faced a greater risk of heart attack and stroke. In a Canadian cohort of 17,710 participants, the risk was 57% higher, while a European cohort showed an 18% increase. The association remained after adjusting for age, smoking, diabetes, sex, lipid levels and hypertension.
Xylitol, a low-calorie sugar substitute found naturally in some fruits and produced in the body during glucose metabolism, is added in large quantities to oral-care products, sugar-free gum, candy, baked goods, nut butters, ice cream, chewable vitamins and cough syrups. Regulatory agencies currently consider it safe.
"Artificial sweeteners are consumed by people who think they are healthier than sugar and they are generally regarded as safe by regulatory agencies," said Dr. Marco Witkowski, who presented the findings. "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, especially as the amount of xylitol in products continues to increase."
The researchers emphasized the need for additional investigations into the cardiovascular effects of xylitol.