Choosing sugar free products can feel like an easy way to make everyday habits a little healthier. Many people rarely think twice about what replaces the sugar, but new research is putting one widely used alternative under closer scrutiny.
The findings concern an ingredient found in several familiar products and its possible connection to cardiovascular health, reports Medical News Today.
Researchers examine xylitol
Xylitol is a low calorie sugar alcohol used in sugar free chewing gum, toothpaste, processed foods and drinks.
Research presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2026 analysed 17,710 participants from two large observational studies in North America and Europe. Their average age was 60.9 years.
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Researchers divided participants according to their blood levels of xylitol while adjusting for factors including age, smoking, diabetes and high blood pressure.
Higher levels, higher risk
In the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, participants were followed for six years. Those with the highest xylitol levels had a 57 percent higher risk of major cardiovascular events compared with people who had the lowest levels.
The EPIC Norfolk study followed participants for 30 years and found an 18 percent higher risk among those with the highest xylitol levels.
Across the data, increasing xylitol levels were associated with more heart attacks, strokes and deaths from cardiovascular events.
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Previous research referenced by the scientists has also suggested that xylitol may increase the ability of blood platelets to form clots.
More research needed
The results do not prove that xylitol directly causes heart attacks or strokes. As an observational study, the research can demonstrate an association but cannot establish cause and effect.
Further prospective studies and clinical trials are needed to determine whether xylitol itself contributes to cardiovascular risk.
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This article is made and published by Mie Hermansen, who may have used AI in the preparation.