Xylitol

June 19, 2002

Hi Francesca and all,

Apologies that I didn't have time to get some research into that last post!

Even thought Xylitol isn't completely devoid of calories, I think it is

quite amazing that they've found a nature-given substance that prevents bone

loss. Given my osteo scare, I'm definitely going to use it, and with the

money I'll also save from the dentist, take a weekend holiday in

celebration!

best to all

MM

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/corehtml/transparent.gif>

1: Calcif Tissue Int 1995 Mar;56(3):232-5 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut

Diminished bone resorption in rats after oral xylitol administration: a

dose-response study.

Mattila P, Svanberg M, Knuuttila M.

Institute of Dentistry, University of Oulu, Finland.

The effects of 5, 10, and 20% dietary xylitol supplementations on the

resorption of bone were studied. The resorption was measured by the urinary

excretion of [3H] radioactivity from [3H]tetracycline-prelabeled rats. The

10 and 20% oral xylitol administrations caused a significant decrease in the

excretion of [3H] as compared with the control group with no xylitol

supplementation. The effect was detected as early as 2 days after the

beginning of xylitol-feeding and was maintained throughout the experimental

period of 31 days. The retarding effect on bone resorption was about 25% in

the 10% xylitol group, about 40% in the 20% xylitol group, and undetectable

in the 5% xylitol group. The amount of preserved [3H] radioactivity in the

tibiae of the 10 and 20% xylitol groups after the experiment clearly

exceeded the values of the control group. The mechanism of the retarded bone

resorption caused by dietary xylitol still remains obscure, but an increased

absorption of calcium may be involved. In conclusion, dietary xylitol

supplementation in rats seems to retard the bone resorption in a

dose-dependent way. The effect is achieved rapidly and is maintained at

least over a period of 1 month xylitol feeding.

PMID: 7750030 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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1: Gerontology 2001 Nov-Dec;47(6):300-5 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut

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Increased bone volume and bone mineral content in xylitol-fed aged rats.

Mattila PT, Svanberg MJ, Knuuttila ML.

Oral and Maxillofacial Department, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu,

Finland. ptm@...

BACKGROUND: Our previous studies have shown that dietary xylitol

supplementation protects against the loss of bone mineral after ovariectomy.

The ovariectomy-induced decrease in trabecular bone volume is significantly

retarded by dietary xylitol. Objective: To study whether dietary xylitol can

protect against bone loss also during aging, a long-term experimental study

was performed with rats. METHODS: Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were

divided into two groups. The rats in the control group were fed a basal RM1

diet, while the rats in the experimental group were continuously fed the

same diet supplemented with 10% (w/w) xylitol. The rats were killed after 20

months. Their tibiae were used for the analyses of bone density and

trabecular bone volume, and their femurs were used for the scanning analyses

with peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT). RESULTS: The tibial

density of the xylitol-fed aged group (1.73 +/- 0.14 g/mm(3)) was

significantly greater than that of the aged group without xylitol (1.56 +/-

0.14 g/ mm(3)). The trabecular bone volume of the xylitol-fed rats was 21.2

+/- 4.0%. It was significantly greater than that of the rats not receiving

xylitol (9.3 +/- 4.3%). The pQCT-measured cortical bone mineral density and

the pQTC-measured cortical bone mineral content of the femoral diaphysis

were significantly greater in the xylitol-fed group than in the control

group. The trabecular bone mineral density and the trabecular bone mineral

content of the femoral distal metaphysis were also significantly greater in

the xylitol-fed group than in the non-xylitol group. The total bone mineral

density and the total bone mineral content of the femoral neck in the

xylitol-fed aged group significantly exceeded those in the aged group

without xylitol supplementation. CONCLUSIONS: A continuous moderate dietary

xylitol supplementation leads to increased bone volume and increased bone

mineral content in the long bones of aged rats. This indicates a

xylitol-induced protection against aging-related osteoporotic changes.

PMID: 11721142 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Dietary xylitol in the prevention of experimental osteoporosis

Beneficial effects on bone resorption, structure and biomechanics

i Mattila

Institute of Dentistry, University of Oulu

Academic Dissertation to be presented with the assent of the Faculty of

Medicine, University of Oulu, for public discussion in the Auditorium of the

Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, on March 26th, 1999, at 12 noon.

University of Oulu

Manuscript received 16 February 1999

Manuscript accepted 25 February 1999

Communicated by

Docent Juha Tuukkanen

Doctor Mauri Hämäläinen

UNIVERSITY OF OULU, OULU FINLAND 1999

ISBN 951-42-5158-X

URN:ISBN:951425158X

Abstract

Dietary xylitol supplementation increases bone calcium and phosphorus

concentrations in healthy rats, as well as protects against the decrease of

bone minerals and bone density during experimental osteoporosis. This

suggests that dietary xylitol might have a favorable effect on the

prevention of osteoporosis. However, before any conclusions can be drawn

about the usefulness of a compound, studies including structural evaluation

and biomechanical testing of bones must first be performed.

Thus, the aim of the present study was to clarify whether dietary xylitol

affects bone resorption, bone structure, and bone biomechanics in healthy

rats, and whether dietary xylitol offers some preventive effects against the

increased bone resorption, decreased bone trabeculation, and weakened bone

biomechanical properties during experimental osteoporosis.

Dietary xylitol reduced bone resorption in 3-mo old healthy male rats, and

protected significantly against the increase of bone resorption in 3-mo old

ovariectomized rats, as measured by the urinary excretion of 3H following

[3H]tetracycline-prelabeling. In addition, increased trabecular bone volume

of proximal tibia in 4-mo old healthy male rats was detected after a 1-mo

xylitol feeding period, and significant protection against the decrease of

trabecular bone volume in 6-mo old ovariectomized rats was observed after a

3-mo xylitol feeding period. Furthermore, dietary xylitol increased the

strength properties of long bones in 6-mo old healthy male rats after a 3-mo

feeding period, without affecting the bone elastic properties as tested by

three-point bending of tibia, torsion of femur, and loading of femoral neck.

Accordingly, dietary xylitol protected significantly against the weakening

of bone biomechanical properties in 6-mo old ovariectomized rats after a

3-mo feeding period.

In conclusion, the above results strongly support the hypothesis that oral

administration of xylitol protects effectively against the progression of

experimental osteoporosis. Dietary xylitol was effective both in increasing

bone mass in healthy rats, and in preventing bone loss in ovariectomized

rats, suggesting a favorable effect of xylitol on both main targets in the

prevention of osteoporosis. As dietary xylitol was effective also in

protecting against the experimental osteoporosis-caused changes in bone

structure and weakening of bone biomechanical properties, oral xylitol

administration seems to provide interesting possibilities when searching for

new physiological choices for the prevention of osteoporosis.

Keywords: bone metabolism, ovariectomy, polyols, rat

* Publication in Adobe PDF-format 1.78 MB

* Publication in HTML-format

This publication is available in printed form

[serieslogo]

Acta Universitatis Ouluensis

Medica

D 510

ISBN 951-42-5150-4

ISSN 0355-3221

Other publications from University of Oulu

ants and xylitol chewing gum are equal in caries prevention.

Alanen P, Holsti ML, Pienihakkinen K.

Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku, Finland. pentti.alanen@...

Sealants and xylitol have been demonstrated to prevent dental decay, but

their effect has never been compared in the same study. Regular use of

xylitol chewing gum during 2 or 3 school years was compared with application

of occlusal sealants in a randomized study. The reliability of the clinical

observations was controlled by examining the presence of dental decay in the

same teeth from bitewing radiographs in a blind study. After 5 years, no

statistically significant differences between the sealant and xylitol groups

were found. The results were in line with the results from separate studies

with sealants or xylitol. There were no great differences between the costs

of the measures. The selection between the compared preventive measures has

to be made on the basis of practical aspects such as caries occurrence,

availability of personnel and other resources, opportunity costs,

cooperation with schools, and other local conditions.

Publication Types:

* Clinical trial

* Randomized controlled trial

PMID: 11196404 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

CoOccurrence of dental decay in children after maternal consumption of

xylitol chewing gum, a follow-up from 0 to 5 years of age.

Isokangas P, Soderling E, Pienihakkinen K, Alanen P.

Ylivieska Health Care Center, University of Turku, Finland.

Studies have shown that prevention of mutans streptococci (MS) colonization

in early childhood can lead to prevention of dental decay. In the

microbiological part of the present study in Ylivieska, Finland, with 195

mothers with high salivary MS levels, regular maternal use of xylitol

chewing gum resulted in a statistically significant reduction in MS

colonization in their children's teeth at the age of 2 years compared with

teeth in children whose mothers received fluoride or chlorhexidine varnish

treatment. The children did not chew gum or receive varnish treatments. For

the present study, the children were examined annually for caries occurrence

by experienced clinicians who did not know whether the children were

colonized with MS. Regardless of the maternal prevention group, the presence

of MS colonization in children at the age of 2 years was significantly

related to each child's age at the first caries attack in the primary

dentition. In children at the age of 5 years, the dentinal caries (dmf) in

the xylitol group was reduced by about 70% as compared with that in the

fluoride or chlorhexidine group. We conclude that maternal use of xylitol

chewing gum can prevent dental caries in their children by prohibiting the

transmission of MS from mother to child.

Maintaining mutans streptococci suppression with xylitol chewing gum.

Hildebrandt GH, Sparks BS.

School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455-0348, USA.

.H.Hildebrandt1@...

BACKGROUND: One strategy for treating dental caries is to suppress oral

mutans streptococci, or MS, with chlorhexidine, or CHX, mouthrinse. Oral MS

levels, however, tend to quickly return to baseline values without further

intervention. In this clinical study, the authors evaluated the effect of

xylitol chewing gum on MS regrowth. METHODS: The authors selected 151

subjects with elevated oral MS levels (> or = 105 colony-forming units per

milliliter, or CFU/mL, of paraffin-stimulated saliva). Subjects rinsed with

0.12 percent CHX gluconate mouthrinse twice daily for 14 days. The authors

then randomly assigned the subjects to one of three groups. Those in the

test group (n = 51) chewed a commercial xylitol gum three times daily for a

minimum of five minutes each time for three months. The placebo group

subjects (n = 50) used a commercial sorbitol gum, and the control group

subjects (n = 50) did not chew gum. The authors estimated MS load on the

dentition using paraffin-stimulated saliva samples. The authors serially

diluted the samples, plated them on selective media and incubated them

anaerobically; they then enumerated the colonies under a stereomicroscope.

RESULTS: MS levels were not significantly different between the three groups

at baseline (mean log CFU/mL +/- standard deviation: 5.4 +/- 0.7, 5.4 +/-

0.8, 5.2 +/- 0.7, respectively) nor after CHX therapy (2.7 +/- 0.8, 3.1 +/-

1.1, 3.0 +/- 1.1, respectively). After three months of gum chewing, the test

group subjects had significantly lower salivary MS levels (3.6 +/- 1.2) than

did the placebo (4.7 +/- 1.2) or control (4.4 +/- 1.3) group subjects.

CONCLUSIONS: Xylitol chewing gum appears to have the ability to prolong the

effect of CHX therapy on oral MS. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Maintaining

long-term caries-pathogen suppression is feasible with currently available

commercial products and can be expected to result in significant caries

inhibition.

Publication Types:

* Clinical trial

* Randomized controlled trial

PMID: 10916329 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Influence of maternal xylitol consumption on acquisition of mutans

streptococci by infants.

Soderling E, Isokangas P, Pienihakkinen K, Tenovuo J.

Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku, Finland. eva.soderling@...

Xylitol is effective as a non-cariogenic sugar substitute. Habitual xylitol

consumption appears to select for mutans streptococci (MS) with impaired

adhesion properties, i.e., they shed easily to saliva from plaque. One

hundred sixty-nine mother-child pairs participated in a two-year study

exploring whether the mothers' xylitol consumption could be used to prevent

mother-child transmission of mutans streptococci. All mothers showed high

salivary levels of mutans streptococci during pregnancy. The mothers in the

xylitol group (n = 106) were requested to chew xylitol-sweetened gum (65%

w/w) at least 2 or 3 times a day, starting three months after delivery. In

the two control groups, the mothers received either chlorhexidine (n = 30)

or fluoride (n = 33) varnish treatments at 6, 12, and 18 months after

delivery. The children did not chew gum or receive varnish treatments. MS

were assessed from the mothers' saliva at half-year intervals and from the

children's plaque at the one- and two-year examinations. The MS were

cultured on Mitis salivarius agars containing bacitracin. The salivary MS

levels of the mothers remained high and not significantly different among

the three study groups throughout the study. At two years of age, 9.7% of

the children in the xylitol, 28.6% in the chlorhexidine, and 48.5% in the

fluoride varnish group showed a detectable level of MS. In conclusion,

therefore, habitual xylitol consumption by mothers was associated with a

statistically significant reduction of the probability of mother-child

transmission of MS assessed at two years of age. The effect was superior to

that obtained with either chlorhexidine or fluoride varnish treatments

performed as single applications at six-month intervals.

Publication Types:

* Clinical trial

* Randomized controlled trial

PMID: 10765964 [PubMed - indexed for MED

Long-term tolerance of healthy human subjects to high amounts of xylitol and

fructose: general and biochemical findings.

Makinen KK.

Three groups of volunteers, totalling 125, lived for two years on strict

diets so that comparisons might be made with regard to the sweeteners:

fructose (F), sucrose (S), and xylitol (X). The sizes of the test groups

were: S, 35; F, 38; X, 52. The average monthly amounts of the sugars

consumed in a varied assortment of foods were: S, 2.2 kg; F, 2.1 kg; X, 1.5

kg. The highest daily doses of fructose and xylitol were 200 - 400 g

(maximum 430 g xylitol). Serum samples were analyzed for several chemical

parameters. The dietary regimens did not result in clinically significant

changes between the sugar groups. The ability of X to produce osmotic

diarrhoea and flatulence was found to depend on the individual physiological

responses of each volunteer. In many cases no symptoms were found although

high amounts (200 - 400 g) of X were consumed. All pregnancies and

deliveries in the F and X groups were normal. Practically all the volunteers

accepted the F and X foods (almost 100 varities) and adhered to the dietary

regimen for two years. This was due in the main to the fact that most F and

X products were comparable to those containing sucros

Effect of xylitol on growth of Streptococcus pneumoniae in the presence of

fructose and sorbitol.

Tapiainen T, Kontiokari T, Sammalkivi L, Ikaheimo I, Koskela M, Uhari M.

Department of Pediatrics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.

ttapiai@...

Xylitol is effective in preventing acute otitis media by inhibiting the

growth of Streptococcus pneumoniae. To clarify this inhibition we used

fructose, which is known to block similar growth inhibition observed in

Streptococcus mutans. In addition, we evaluated the efficacy of sorbitol in

inhibiting the growth of pneumococci, as sorbitol is widely used for

indications similar to those for which xylitol is used. The addition of 5%

xylitol to the growth medium resulted in marked growth inhibition, an effect

which was totally eliminated in the presence of 1, 2.5, or 5% fructose but

not in the presence of 1 or 5% glucose, 1% galactose, or 1% sucrose. This

finding implies that xylitol-induced inhibition of pneumococcal growth is

mediated via the fructose phosphotransferase system in a way similar to that

in which mutans group streptococcal growth is inhibited. The addition of

sorbitol at concentrations of 1, 2.5, or 5% to the growth medium did not

affect the growth of pneumococci and neither inhibited nor enhanced the

xylitol-induced growth impairment. Thus, it seems that xylitol is the only

commercially used sugar substitute proven to have an antimicrobial effect on

pneumococci.

Antiadhesive effects of xylitol on otopathogenic bacteria.

Kontiokari T, Uhari M, Koskela M.

Department of Paediatrics, University of Oulu, Finland.

The exposure of either epithelial cells or pneumococci or both to 5% xylitol

reduced the adherence of pneumococci. Exposure of epithelial cells or

bacteria alone to xylitol did not reduce the adherence of Haemophilus

influenzae, although the exposure of both cells and bacteria to xylitol

reduced the adherence significantly. The adherence of Moraxella catarrhalis

remained low irrespective of the exposure.

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June 20, 2002

on 6/19/2002 3:09 AM, Mambo Mambo at mambomambo@... wrote:

> Even thought Xylitol isn't completely devoid of calories, I think it is

> quite amazing that they've found a nature-given substance that prevents bone

> loss.

MM: one more question: how's the taste?

June 20, 2002

To my experience, xylitol tastes great. I actually like it better than

white sugar. I have used it to flavor smoothies, to bake muffins, and

tasted it straight. It is really very good. I order it under the name

birch bark sugar from ultimatelife.org, a company website that some on

this list might find interesting. It is a bit pricey, and corresponds

one to one with table sugar, but I find it worth the cost. It is all

natural and is not known/suspected to have any detrimental health

effects, excepting the calories. I have read it actually has half the

calories of regular sugar, someone posted that it was 2/3. Also, it

metabolizes very slowly making it totally safe for diabetics, and anyone

else concerned about blood sugar spikes. I myself am very sensitive to

any high-glycemic index foods and have never had any problem with

xylitol.

Lerner

jmlpiano@...

IOn Wednesday, June 19, 2002, at 07:19 PM, Francesca Skelton wrote:

> on 6/19/2002 3:09 AM, Mambo Mambo at mambomambo@... wrote:

>

> > Even thought Xylitol isn't completely devoid of calories, I think it

> is

> > quite amazing that they've found a nature-given substance that

> prevents bone

> > loss.

>

> MM: one more question: how's the taste?

>

June 20, 2002

Hi Jeffry

I tried the address you gave and had trouble finding the website. My web browser found the company at ultimatelife.com and the most direct address seems to be the one below since it places you at the products and price page from which you can click to see pictures of the products.

http://www.flexbase.com/ul/servlet/FlexEngine?page=PagePurchase

It looks interesting. I think I might like to try a sample of it although for now I am committed to Warren's sucralose order.

http://www.flexbase.com/ul/servlet/FlexEngine?page=PagePurchase

In a message dated 6/20/2002 4:47:50 AM Pacific Daylight Time, jmlpiano@... writes: