Is Xylitol Good For You?

In Nutrition | by Dr. Jockers | Comments { 14 } | Affiliate Disclosure

Is Xylitol Good For You?

Xylitol is a sweetener that seems to be winning the popularity contest
amongst consumers desire for no calorie sweeteners. Claims support that it is
all natural, safe for diabetic and the American Academy of Pediatric
Dentistry supports the use of xylitol for oral health benefits (5).
But is xylitol good for you and should it be classified as a healthy sweetener?
Depending on your health circumstances, you may want to avoid xylitol
intake when possible or other otherwise limit your daily consumption.
What is Xylitol?
Xylitol is a type of sugar alcohol known as a polyol and categorized along
with other popular sweeteners you may have heard of including sorbitol,
mannitol, lactiol and maltiol. Such sweeteners are created in a process known
as hydrogenation- a process you have likely already heard of in many
processed foods harmful to health. (1)
Although xylitol can be found naturally occurring in small concentrations of
foods like berries, cauliflower and plums, xylitol is typically prepared from
its original form xylose (2). Compounds that make up xylose are chemically
swapped for oxygen and hydrogen resulting in the low glycemic sweetener
xylitol (1). This fact that xylitol is found in nature and is derived from a
natural product allows government authorities to loosely regulate the labeling
requirements of food manufacturers.
Numerous studies report that xylitol has no effect on blood glucose levels and
in fact it is broken down in a process that does not rely on insulin secretion.
Xylitol cannot be fully digested and absorbed within the human
gastrointestinal tract and up to 20% of this compound is shown to be excreted
in urine. In fact, only 50% of xylitol is understood to be absorbed by the
small intestine begging the concern that this sweetener may have toxic effects
from accumulating in the liver. (1)
Oral Health Benefits
Xylitol is largely found in oral hygiene products including toothpastes,
mouthwash, chewing gums, and mints and is intended to promote therapeutic
benefits for oral health.

Antimicrobial:
If we do not yet fully understand where all components of xylitol is broken
down and absorbed in the body, why has it gained popularity you should ask?
Xylitol has antimicrobial defenses against infectious bacteria such
as pneumococcus known to cause pneumonia and meningitis. Xylitol prevents
growth of harmful bacteria likely by causing a toxic effect within the
encapsulated bacterium. (3)
In order to reap the antimicrobial benefits of xylitol, it is recommended to
consume products only containing pure xylitol without any other added
sweeteners or in combination with foods containing sweetener. The presence
of other sugars and sugar substitutes with xylitol inhibits xylitols ability to
degrade and prevent bacteria growth (3).

Anti-Carcinogenic:
The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies acetaldehyde as a highly
toxic class 1 carcinogen. In other words, acetaldehyde is a compound
sufficiently evidenced well enough to be labeled cancer causing in humans.
This mutagenic product results from alcohol fermentation that harmful
bacteria in the mouth can produce in large quantities. When ethanol found in
alcohol is mixed with saliva, a reaction occurs to create acetaldehyde. (4)
Xylitol has been shown to inhibit microbes from producing acetaldehyde
during the fermentation process. Xylitol can even completely eliminate this
carcinogenic activity for some bacterial strains. The concentrations of xylitol
used in such studies support that this anti-carcinogenic property can be
obtained from chewing xylitol sweetened gum often throughout the course of
a single day.
Lung Cancer Therapy:
A new study recently performed experimental treatment involving the effects
of xylitol on cancer cells. What researchers found is that xylitol actually may
have therapeutic benefits at treating lung cancer. Xylitol was shown to inhibit
cell proliferation of specific lung cancer cells and allow for natural cell
destruction of cancer cells, a process known as autophagy. (6)
Warnings for Xylitol Consumption
Xylitol may sound like the perfect sweetener suitable for consumption by all
individuals but it does not come without pitfalls. Unfortunately, conflicting
evidence supports whether or not xylitol is a good sweetener because long
term studies are limited in assessing its effects on health.

Potential for Metabolic Disturbance:

As previously mentioned, xylitol is not fully absorbed by the GI
(gastrointestinal) tract. Therefore it may be likely that xylitol accumulates in
the liver and may have toxic consequences when used in large quantities over
extended periods and may lead to metabolic disturbances.

Gastrointestinal Upset:
Xylitol is in a class of fermentable carbohydrates called polyols. A large
quantity of xylitol is passed to the colon and fermented by bacteria. The
microflora here utilizes the sweetener to produce fatty acids as well as
hydrogen and methane gas. As a result, these gases are associated with gas,
abdominal cramping, bloating, constipation and diarrhea (5).
Evidence suggest that more than 10 grams of xylitol daily can cause these GI
symptoms which may be easily consumed unknowingly due to its increase in
presence in products but not on labels. (1) As a result, individuals with
gastrointestinal issues sensitive to fermentable sugars should avoid xylitol.
People with gut complications such as irritable bowel syndrome, small
intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and Crohns disease may experience
an increase of GI disturbances exacerbated by xylitol.

Malabsorption:
What foods you consume with xylitol and various nutritional components of
foods containing xylitol may affect your ability to absorb each component.
Ingesting sugar alcohols can limit the ability for other nutrients like fats and
carbs to be properly metabolized.

Clinical trials have also shown that consumption of sweeteners like xylitol
can cause appetite dysregulation resulting in a lack of satiety and an overall
increase in fat consumption. (1)

Drug Contraindications:
As a whole group, sugar alcohols can interact with drugs (1). Especially those
drugs used by diabetics to manage weight should limit xylitol consumption.
Caution for Pet Owners:
Too many instances of dogs ingesting foods containing xylitol have left pet
owners with tough lessons to be learned. The amount of xylitol found in a
few cookies, a pack of gum and even English muffins is enough of the
compound to cause severe hypoglycemica (low blood sugar) and life
threatening liver failure in mans best friend (7).
Summary
Although xylitol is a healthier alternative than sugar and high fructose
products like agave, xylitol is best in small quantities even in the healthiest of
people.
 Sources for this Article Include:
1. Wolever T, Piekarz A, Hollands M, and Younker K. Sugar Alcohols and
Diabetes: A Review. Can J Dia. 2002; 26(4): 356-362 Link Here
2. Amo K, et al. Effects of xylitol on metabolic parameters and visceral fat
accumulation. J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2011 Jul; 49(1): 1-7. PMCID: 3128359
3. Tapiainen T, et al. Effect of Xylitol on Growth ofStreptococcus
pneumoniae in the Presence of Fructose and Sorbitol. Antimicrobial Agents
and Chemotherapy. 2001;45(1):166-169. PMCID: 90255
4. Uittamo J, et al. Xylitol inhibits carcinogenic acealdehyde production by
Candida species. Int J Cancer. 2011 Oct; 129(8):2038-41. PMID: 21154745
5. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry: Policy on the Use of Xylitol Link
Here
6. Park E, Park MH, Na and Chung J. Xylitol induces cell death in lung cancer
A549 cells by autophagy. Biotechnol Lett. 2015 May; 37(5):983-90.
PMID: 25650339
7. Piscitelli CM, Dunayer EK, and Aumann M. Xylitol toxicity in dogs.
Compend Contin Educ Vet. 2010 Feb; 32(2):E1-4. PMID: 20473849

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