Story perspectives

Blood xylitol linked to higher cardiovascular risk in adults

8/29/2026

Summary

Story summary

Researchers at Charité University Hospital in Berlin linked blood xylitol to greater cardiovascular risk.
The study of 17,710 adults found top-quartile participants had 57% higher six-year and 18% 30-year risk.
Risk increased across quartiles independent of age, sex, BMI, hypertension or diabetes.
ESC committee member Dan Atar said observational data cannot prove causality and urged further study.
Findings were presented at ESC Congress 2026 in Munich and are not peer-reviewed.

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Story summary

Researchers at Charité University Hospital in Berlin linked blood xylitol to greater cardiovascular risk.
The study of 17,710 adults found top-quartile participants had 57% higher six-year and 18% 30-year risk.
Risk increased across quartiles independent of age, sex, BMI, hypertension or diabetes.
ESC committee member Dan Atar said observational data cannot prove causality and urged further study.
Findings were presented at ESC Congress 2026 in Munich and are not peer-reviewed.