Xylitol's health effects beyond dental care, reviewed
What it found
Xylitol may help with skin moisture, gut bacteria, bone strength, immune defence and weight, but most evidence comes from lab tests and animals, with limited human studies.
The authors say many of these benefits still need to be confirmed in people.
What they found
Studies in people
Bowel function after surgery
In three human trials, xylitol chewing gum after surgery or Caesarean section shortened time to first flatus and bowel sounds, but did not affect time to first bowel movement in two of them.
Ear infection in children
A Cochrane review of 5 trials in 3405 children found moderate-quality evidence that xylitol reduced the risk of acute otitis media from 30% to about 22%. It did not help during respiratory infection or in otitis-prone children.
Animal and lab studies
Bone strength in animals
In rats, dietary xylitol increased bone density and reduced bone resorption. These studies used high doses (up to 20% of diet) not feasible for humans.
Studies in people and animals
Skin moisture and barrier
In a small human study, 100 mM xylitol on irritated forearm skin reduced moisture loss by about 20% compared to water. In lab tests on human skin cells, xylitol improved barrier proteins and lipid fluidity.
Gut bacteria and butyrate
Lab tests show xylitol is fermented by gut bacteria, increasing butyric acid. In humans, a single 30 g dose increased Gram-positive bacteria and reduced yeasts in feces.
Weight and satiety
In animal models, xylitol reduced body weight gain and fat. In humans, xylitol increased satiety hormones and slowed gastric emptying, but effects on weight are inconclusive.
What the authors conclude
“Additional health benefits of xylitol have thus been reported and indicate further opportunities but need to be confirmed in human studies.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say that many of these novel health benefits are mainly based on in vitro and animal studies, and limited human intervention studies.
- They advise that there is a need to investigate the feasibility of these potential health benefits in humans.
- They note that animal studies often used 6%–20% xylitol in the diet, which is beyond what is feasible for human consumption.
How it was done
Xylitol is best known for reducing tooth decay, but the authors wanted to look at other potential health benefits such as skin care, respiratory, digestive, immune health and weight management.
They reviewed published studies on xylitol's health effects beyond dental health, covering lab tests, animal experiments and some human trials. The studies looked at skin, gut, respiratory, bone, immune and weight outcomes.
What it can’t tell you
- Many of the findings come from lab tests or animals, so they cannot show what happens in people.
- The human studies are often small or in specific patient groups, so the results may not apply to healthy people.
- The animal studies used very high doses of xylitol that people could not realistically eat.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- All authors are employees of DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences. DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences manufactures and markets xylitol. The authors declare no other conflict of interest.
The paper
- Title
- Xylitol's Health Benefits beyond Dental Health: A Comprehensive Review
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Salli K, Lehtinen MJ, Tiihonen K, Ouwehand AC (2019). Xylitol's Health Benefits beyond Dental Health: A Comprehensive Review. Nutrients. doi:10.3390/nu11081813Free full textPubMed 31390800DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error