A common low-calorie sweetener called xylitol, found in gum, candy, toothpaste and more, may cause clots that can lead to heart attack and stroke, a new study found.

In a study published Thursday in the European Heart Journal, an international group of researchers led by a team at the Cleveland Clinic report that higher levels of xylitol, a sugar substitute found in candy and even toothpaste, are linked to a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and death.

Researchers say there appears to be links between the artificial sweetener xylitol, a type of sugar alcohol, and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke

People who had higher levels of xylitol in their blood were more likely to have a heart attack or stroke within the next three years, with lab experiments suggesting the sweetener promotes blood clott

Then a challenge study in 10 healthy human volunteers showed that a soft drink with 30 g of xylitol increased platelet reactivity as early as 30 minutes after ingestion compared with a sugar-sweetened drink, "strongly suggesting causality," the editorialists noted.

The findings question the health risks of sugar alcohols such as xylitol, even as their use is trending upward.

A recent study linked xylitol, a common low-calorie sugar substitute, to heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular risks. As more […]

An artificial sweetener used in baked goods, sugar-free candy and gum, and even toothpaste is tied to increased cardiovascular disease, per a series of new studies out of the Cleveland Clinic. In the research published Thursday in the European Heart Journal,