Can You Overdose on Xylitol?
Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar substitute. It is not known exactly what to expect with an overdose (or if a xylitol overdose is even possible), although the effects of an overdose will likely vary, depending on the
xylitol dosage, as well as other factors (such as if xylitol was taken with any other supplements, drugs, or substances).
If you happen to take too much, seek immediate medical attention.
Effects of a Xylitol Overdose
Very little is known about the possible effects of taking too much xylitol. Of course, an overdose of xylitol would be likely to cause any of the usual
xylitol side effects, especially
diarrhea or gas. Very high doses of xylitol given by IV have been reported to cause high uric acid levels in the blood (which could increase the risk of
kidney stones), changes in liver function tests (which could indicate stress to the liver), and high acid levels in the blood. There problems are not predicted to occur for other routes of xylitol use, such as in gum or candy.
Extremely high doses of xylitol given to laboratory animals for extended periods of time may increase the risk of tumor growth. This has not been shown to be the case in humans and is not predicted to be a problem, unless extremely high doses are taken for quite awhile.
It should be noted that even small doses of xylitol can be lethal for dogs, as they react differently to this product than humans do.
