Sugar Substitute Linked to Soaring Heart Risks

By Dr. Scott Olson, ND Posted June 14, 2024

If you (or someone you care about) have a sweet tooth, you should know about a recent study that’s been making waves in the health and nutrition world.

Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic uncovered a disturbing link between a popular sugar substitute and an increased risk of some serious heart problems.

Now, before you do a pantry purge and start tossing out your sugar-free gum and candy, let’s dive into what this study actually found and what it means for you.

The sugar-free sweetener at the center of the controversy is xylitol. This natural sugar substitute is often used in sugar-free products like candy, gum, and even toothpaste.

Xylitol has become popular because it has significantly fewer calories than regular sugar and doesn’t seem to have the same adverse effects on blood sugar levels.

But new troubling research is tarnishing this sweetener’s crown.

The recent study followed over 3,000 people in the U.S. and Europe for several years. Many of these folks already had some heart disease risk factors.

When they measured the levels of xylitol in the participants’ blood, they found something surprising. The people with the highest levels of the fake sugar had a two times greater risk of having a heart attack, stroke, or even dying over the next three years compared to those with the lowest levels.

The researchers conducted mouse experiments to determine why this might be happening. They found that xylitol seemed to increase blood clotting by activating tiny blood cells called platelets.

Researchers also tested this in humans. They had volunteers down drinks with either xylitol or regular glucose. Sure enough, the folks who drank the sugar-free beverage had a big spike in their xylitol levels and clotting factors in their blood.

So, what does this all mean? Well, Dr. Stanley Hazen, the study’s lead author, thinks that xylitol should be considered a risk factor for heart disease.

Because even though our bodies naturally produce some xylitol, consuming extra amounts in sugar-free products could increase our risk of blood clots and heart problems.

Besides, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a link between a sugar substitute and heart issues. Last year, a similar study found a link between erythritol and heart problems.

In fact, I warned readers about it (and fake sugar in general) at the time. If you missed that issue, you can catch up here. As I explained then, artificial sweeteners are clearly NOT chemically inert, as we’ve been led to believe.

This is only one study, of course. So, more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between xylitol and heart health. But when you add this study to the growing pile of evidence against sugar substitutes, it’s obvious they’re not as harmless as we once thought.

It’s time to cut back (or better yet, ELIMINATE) sugar substitutes from your diet. That’s especially true if you’re already at risk for heart disease.

The American palate has been trained to crave super sweet foods, so cutting back may be difficult at first. But I promise you won’t miss it once you make a clean break. And you’ll actually start to appreciate the TRUE taste of foods.

The bottom line is that while xylitol and other sugar substitutes might seem like a healthier choice, the harm they could do to your heart (and more) isn’t worth the risk.

And another thing…

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P.S. Cutting sugar substitutes from your diet can send your sweet tooth into overdrive. You can KICK those sugar cravings and SLASH disease risk at the same time. Here’s how.

Source:

Witkowski, M., Nemet, I., Li, X. S., Wilcox, J., Ferrell, M., Alamri, H., Gupta, N., Wang, Z., Tang, W. H., & Hazen, S. L. Xylitol is prothrombotic and associated with cardiovascular risk. European Heart Journal.

Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.

View More By Dr. Scott Olson, ND