Unlike other sugar substitutes, xylitol is extracted from plants and is all natural. But just because it isn't synthesized artificially in a lab doesn't mean it is free from side effects. Most problems from xylitol consumption are minor in humans, but some effects are more serious and can even be life-threatening to your pets.
Identification
Xylitol is classified as a sugar alcohol, meaning it's a type of carbohydrate known as a polyol that resembles both sugar and alcohol, although you can't get drunk from xylitol. Your body makes some xylitol on its own, although most commercial products are extracted from berries, corn and birch trees. Xylitol is a white crystal that looks and tests a lot like sugar, with only 10 calories per teaspoon versus 15 calories per teaspoon of table sugar.
Benefits
A committee with the World Health Organization and United Nations declared xylitol as a safe sweetener for use in foods in 1983, a policy agreed to by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1986. Food manufacturers haven't used xylitol widely because it costs more than other sugar substitutes. It is found most often in gums, mints and candies used to help fight dental disease. Xylitol is safe for diabetics and may have other benefits, such as reducing cholesterol and fighting osteoporosis, although these effects haven't been verified in human trials.
Gastrointestinal Side Effects
Many sugar alcohols can cause gastrointestinal problems like nausea, bloating and diarrhea, because the sugar alcohols aren't completely absorbed and may ferment in your intestinal tract. These effects usually happen with higher doses that exceed 40 to 50 g per day. A study published in December 2010 in the "European Journal of Pediatrics" noted a case in which xylitol use in an infant led to considerable weight loss and life-threatening enteral bicarbonate loss from diarrhea. Do not give xylitol products to very young children without checking first with your child's doctor.
Kidney Problems
Xylitol is sometimes used in intravenous infusions for patients in the hospital and in surgical patients. However, such xylitol infusions have led to significant increases in lactic acid, uric acid, bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase levels that can be dangerous. One report from Germany noted the case of a man who suffered a seizure and acute kidney failure tied to a xylitol infusion following cancer surgery. Two other cases tying xylitol IVs to kidney failure were published in 2005 in the journal "Clinical Nephrology."
Allergies and Rashes
Eczema is a chronic skin condition often linked to allergies that causes itchy rashes and scales on skin. When it occurs inside your mouth, it's called oral erosive eczema and may lead to lips that are dry, crusted, cracked and infected. One case of oral erosive eczema tied to xylitol was reported in "The British Journal of Medicine" in 2007. Xylitol is often made from birch trees, which may lead to an allergic reaction if you're sensitive to birch pollen.
Pet Dangers
It's important to keep xylitol away from your pets. A nine-month-old Labrador suffered blood sugar hypoglycemia and seizures after ingesting xylitol gum, while another dog had liver failure after eating half a loaf of bread containing xylitol. Veterinarians at the Florida Veterinary Specialists and Cancer Treatment Center note that xylitoldoses above 0.1 g per kg of body weight can cause hypoglycemia in dogs, whereas amounts of 0.5 g/kg can cause liver failure. It only takes 3 g of xylitol to kill a 65-pound dog.
References
- Drugs.com: Xylitol
- "European Journal of Pediatrics"; Too Much of Too Little: Xylitol, an Unusual Trigger of a Chronic Metabolic Hyperchloremic Acidosis; D. Wille, et al.; December 2010
- "Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift"; Renal Oxalosis with Renal Failure after Infusion Of Xylitol; P. Leidig, et al.; November 2001
- "Clinical Nephrology"; Ethylene Glycol Intoxication and Xylitol Infusion--Metabolic Steps of Oxalate-Induced Acute Renal Failure; M. Meier, et al.; March 2005
- "British Journal of Medicine"; Xylitol as a Causative Agent of Oral Erosive Eczema; Y. Hanakawa, et al.; April 2006
- "Compendium: Continuing Education for Veterinarians"; Xylitol Toxicity in Dogs; C. Piscatelli, et al.; 2001
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