India, Sept. 6 -- A study to be presented at ESC Congress 2026 will show that high blood levels of the artificial sweetener xylitol, commonly used as a sugar substitute in products such as sugar-free chewing gum, are associated with an increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events.

Artificial sweeteners are widely used as alternatives to dietary sugar. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that occurs naturally in the body as a byproduct of glucose metabolism and is also found in some natural foods, although in very small amounts.

"In previous studies, we showed that xylitol can enhance the ability of platelets to form clots," said study presenter Dr Marco Witkowski of Charite University Hospital, Berlin, Germany.

"We also found that high...