My dog ate 50 of my B-12 vitamins. I am telling you this because I want you to know Is xylitol safe? Yes, he got in my purse and got out an unopened bottle chewed of the cap and had a picnic. So, of course, I got on the internet and looked it up. It didn’t seem that I should be too concerned because B-12 is water soluble and he would pee out any he didn’t need. Just in case I called the vet. I read all the ingredients to her that was in the bottle. These were not my normal supplement because I buy my whole food supplements from Ultra Life and I know there is nothing toxic in them. Anyway, this brand had xylitol (is a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener) in them. The doctor was very concerned. I called the company and they connected me to a product specialist quickly. I told her what was going on and she told me there were 438mg of xylitol in each tablet. I ask her if that was a lot and she said yes and that she was sorry. Well, that didn’t sound very good. At first, my dog acted find but within an hour when we were getting ready to take him to the animal hospital his blood sugar started to drop he laid in the back of my jeep (this is a high energy Huskey). Long story short, they took him in right away and then kept him for three days to keep an eye on his liver. His liver enzymes are still a little elevated after 2 weeks but are getting better.
I was thinking if xylitol is this toxic how does it affect us. So I decided to do some research. It seems that dogs metabolize this substance differently than we do. VCAhospital says, “In both humans and dogs, the level of blood sugar is controlled by the release of insulin from the pancreas. Xylitol does not stimulate the release of insulin from the pancreas in humans. However, when non-primate species like dogs eat something containing xylitol, the xylitol is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, resulting in a potent release of insulin from the pancreas. This rapid release of insulin causes a rapid and profound decrease in the level of blood sugar (hypoglycemia), an effect that occurs within 10-60 minutes of eating the xylitol. Untreated, this hypoglycemia can be life-threatening”.
Dr Axe talks about xylitol in human consumption:
He says “first, the fact that xylitol is “hydrogenated” should raise some concerns because hydrogenated foods are known to cause:
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Behavioral irritability and aggression
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Liver dysfunction
- Major depressive disorder
Secondly, nickel is a known toxin has been linked to:
- Asthma attacks
- Cancer
- Dermatitis (skin allergies)
- Hand eczema (skin rash)
- Indigestion
- Kidney problems
- Lung disorders
At this point, there is no research proving that chewing xylitol sweetened gum or eating xylitol sweetened cookies will cause these things, but I’d be careful before diving in and making xylitol part of your daily natural health regimen”. You can read more on Dr. Axe’s web site here https://draxe.com/xylitol-side-effects/.
Photo credit https://www.thecandidadiet.com
Here are some foods that contain xylitol:
- Packaged Goods & Baking Mixes.
- Candies, Gum & Mints.
- Jams, Syrups, Condiments, Honey, & Raw Xylitol.
- Protein Bars & Powders.
- Flavored Waters & Drink Powders.
- Chocolate.
- Peanut Butter & Nut Butters.
- Dental Products. Yo
You can find more here, https://iheartdogs.com/11-surprising-products-that-contain-xylitol/
I don’t usually buy foods or supplements that have anything in them that might be of a concern but you better believe I will check more closely. I also have been taking a second look around to see if there is anything that my dog might get into. What do you think? Is xylitol safe? Will you stay away from products that have xylitol in them?
