India, Sept. 1 -- A common sweetener called xylitol, used in products such as chewing gum, toothpaste, jam, yogurt and ice cream, may be linked to a higher risk of heart attacks, strokes and death, according to a new study.
"Artificial sweeteners are widely embraced by modern society, and the safety ratings had been good and granted by regulatory authorities. In this observational work, however, it appears that xylitol has a negative long-term effect on cardiovascular events in the general population," said Dan Atar, professor and member of the ESC Communication Committee.
"As with all observational studies, causalities are difficult to infer, but this work shows that further studies are mandated into this societally important topic."
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