Oral xylitol in American adults

• Published in: Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 6; no. 8; pp. 913 - 922
• Main Authors: Culbert, Steven J., Wang, Yeu-Ming, Fritsche, Herbert A., Carr, Diane, Lantin, Erlinda, Eys, Jan van
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.08.1986; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: ADDITIF ALIMENTAIRE; ADITIVOS ALIMENTARIOS; ADULTE; ADULTOS; Biological and medical sciences; ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMERICA; ETATS-UNIS; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gastrointestinal side effects; HIGIENE DE LOS ALIMENTOS; HYGIENE DES ALIMENTS; oral tolerance; TRASTORNOS DIGESTIVOS; TROUBLE DIGESTIF; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; XILITOL; XYLITOL; oral tolerance; gastrointestinal side effects; Xylitol; Human; Tolerance limit; Digestion; Digestive system; Food intake
• ISSN: 0271-5317; 1879-0739
• DOI: 10.1016/S0271-5317(86)80066-5

Twelve healthy adult subjects were given xylitol in incrementally increasing daily doses from 30 g in 3 doses to 100 g in two doses along with a regulated diet. All subjects encountered dose related gastrointestinal side effects. One subject was intolerant of doses greater than 20 g. Eleven subjects tolerated daily doses to 100 g. All subjects encountered diarrhea of varying degree with adaptation being observed in most subjects. Gastrointestinal side effects may limit the maximum tolerated xylitol dosage to 20 g per dose up to 60 g per day. Biochemical parameters all remained within normal range with a nonsignificant increase in uric acid being observed during a brief period of administration. These results suggested that oral xylitol in combination with normal American diet imposes no side effect other than gastro-intestinal intolerance as those observed in West Germany and Scandanivian countries.