Replied by Maria from Oklahoma city on 12/12/2023

Studies show that Erythritol causes blood clots. What are your thoughts on that?

Replied by RB from Somewhere in Europe on 12/10/2024

Quote

Before categorizing xylitol as a detrimental sweetener, it is essential to note the study's significant limitations. The “discovery” and “validation” studies are observational and cannot eliminate confounding variables or establish causality; at most, they can only establish correlations between a factor and an outcome.

Two well-recognized confounders were not counted, and no adjustments were made. There was no information available on the participants' physical activity. It is possible that a significant portion of the sample consisted of sedentary individuals, but since this information was not examined, we will never know.

More concerning, no dietary information was collected, making it impossible to assess the quality of the diet, specific foods consumed, and, most importantly, the amount of xylitol ingested. This raises a new question: if the quantity of xylitol consumed was not analyzed, and the authors observed that participants with the highest circulating levels of xylitol were at greater risk of MACE, how can we attribute this increase to exogenous xylitol consumption?

We cannot.

A more plausible explanation for this outcome, acknowledged by the researchers, could be that the observed levels result from endogenous production of xylitol rather than its consumption. This suggests that scenarios involving oxidative stress and other metabolic issues may increase this production, similar to erythritol.

Finally, it’s important to recall that most volunteers had a high burden of cardiovascular disease risk factors.

However, I must acknowledge that the clinical trial investigating platelet responsiveness has raised some intriguing hypotheses. If replicated and confirmed, these results could provide a slightly more solid foundation for understanding how xylitol behaves in the body and its potential adverse effects.

Are we witnessing another case of an unwarranted “causation” involving xylitol consumption, similar to errors made by these authors in the erythritol studies?

For now, I agree with this quote from Dr. David Ludwig, a pediatric endocrinologist at Harvard’s Boston’s Childrens Hospital, who was not one of the study’s authors.

“It’s possible that xylitol carries some risks compared to consuming nothing, but these risks are smaller than if you were to consume similar amounts of sugar.” – New York Times

Considering that xylitol is used as a direct substitute for sugar, an ingredient with extensive literature indicating that excessive consumption can lead to harmful health issues, I believe it offers a healthier option, a form of harm reduction, when consumed in moderation — like everything in life.

End of quote

Source: https://www.acsh.org/news/2024/06/17/xylitol-probably-wont-cause-heart-related-death-48808

Replied by Ruralady from Illinois on 12/17/2024

Many people can't consume chemical sweeteners such as sugar alcohols, instead try honey or coconut palm sugar as a much better replacement.

Replied by Maria from Honolulu, HI on 09/03/2025

You took a total of 4 TABLESPOONS (not teaspoons)? Just clarifying because a lot of people get digestive distress from just a teaspoon of the stuff. I would like to try this but want to make sure of the amount.

Replied by RB from Somewhere in Europe on 09/27/2025

Maria, yes, it was a total of 4 tablespoons... it was fun... it was sweet... and it has never ever harmed me.