According to a new study published in the journal European Heart JournalThe researchers found that xylitol, a very popular and commonly used sugar substitute, “is associated with an increased risk of developing MACE (major adverse cardiovascular events).”
The study found that “xylitol increases both platelet reactivity and the likelihood of thrombus formation in the body,” and the intervention study noted that “intake of xylitol-sweetened beverages significantly increased plasma levels and enhanced multiple functional indices of platelet reactivity in all subjects.”
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol found in everything from drinks and candy to toothpaste, but according to Dr. Sandy LaMotte, “consuming large amounts of xylitol can nearly double your risk of heart attack, stroke and death.” CNN“The researchers gave healthy volunteers a common drink containing xylitol, and found that it helped lower blood sugar levels,” lead researcher Dr. Stanley Hazan, director of the Center for Cardiovascular Diagnostics and Prevention at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, told CNN. [glucose] “Blood sugar levels rose 1,000-fold,” he said. Compare this to “real” sugar, which increases blood sugar levels by “10 to 20 percent.”
“Humans have never experienced such high levels of xylitol except in recent decades as we began consuming processed foods that are completely artificial and replace sugar,” Hazan added.
Lamott points out that erythritol has also been found to cause blood clots in the past. Both erythritol and xylitol are commonly found in keto, paleo, and reduced-sugar products, often along with stevia, monk fruit extract, and other non-sugar derivatives and alternatives.
