Xylitol E967 is a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener. Xylitol E967 is categorized as a polyalcohol or sugar alcohol. Though it’s considered safe, some are convinced it has potentially dangerous health effects.
What Is Xylitol E967?
Xylitol E967 is a white crystalline powder. It is a natural sweetener made from corncob or sugar cane bagasse but its sweetness level equals that of sucrose. Xylitol is found in berries, oats, and mushrooms and is used in foods, medicine and light industries. It is an intermediate that regularly operate on the glucose metabolism in human body. It can supply liver glycogen and improves liver function, so xylitol is ideal for use in the resuscitation of patients from diabetic and hepatic coma. It also has the function of tooth-decay prevention.
Possible Side Effects of Xylitol E967
Although Xylitol generally regarded as a very safe and effective supplement, there can be some minor side effects. The side effects may:
- Xylitol E967 is basically used for oral health. It is an alcohol basically and if the alcohol is not digested, it can lead to gastric and diarrhea. If your intake of xylitol is very high it may lead to hypoglycemia or low blood sugar.Xylitol E967 can have laxative effects, if consumed in large doses. Diarrhea and gas are common side effects of xylitol. Very high doses of xylitol given in IV is known to cause high uric acid levels in blood. These high levels of uric acid can cause kidney stones. There are chances of changes in liver function tests and high level of blood acidity.
In case of substandard purification techniques used for xylitol extracted from birch trees, they may cause very rare cases of allergies in people. In case of allergic reaction, the symptoms include itching, hives, skin rash, wheezing, breathing difficulty and swelling in mouth and throat. These allergies are very, very rare instances of xylitol side effects.
Xylitol E967 is considered safe for humans, but in case of dogs, it is exactly the opposite. One should avoid giving any xylitol containing product to the dog. It can lead to hypoglycemia, seizures and collapse of dog after consumption of large quantity of xylitol. It promotes release of insulin and thus leads to severe hypoglycemia in dogs. It can even lead to liver damage in dogs.
GRAS Affirmation: Yes
Generally recognized as safe (GRAS) is an American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designation that a chemical or substance added to food is considered safe by experts, and so is exempted from the usual Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) food additive tolerance requirements. Xylitol is considered safe.
Suggested Dosage
NA.
Special Populations Precaution
There is a lot of concern about diet and nutrition for these population, like Newborns, children, pregnant, sensitive to Xylitol populations. Better consult to your doctor if you would like to intake Xylitol.
Related Research
1. Xylitol; A review on Bio-production, Application, Health Benefits and Related Safety Issues. [Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2013 Oct] Author: Ur-Rehman S, Mushtaq Z, Zahoor T, Jamil A, Anjum Murtaza M.
2. Xylitol toxicosis in dogs. [Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2012 Mar] Author: Murphy LA, Coleman AE.