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People who consume higher amounts of certain low- and no-calorie sweeteners may experience a faster decline in memory and thinking skills over time, according to new research published in "Neurology," the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The study found an association between greater sweetener intake and accelerated cognitive decline, particularly among adults with diabetes and those younger than 60. Researchers emphasized, however, that the findings do not prove the sweeteners directly caused the decline.
"Low- and no-calorie sweeteners are often seen as a healthy alternative to sugar; however, our findings suggest certain sweeteners may have negative effects on brain health over time," study author Dr. Claudia Kimie Suemoto of the University of São Paulo said in a statement.
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The research followed 12,772 adults in Brazil for about eight years, tracking their diets and cognitive performance through repeated assessments of memory, verbal fluency and processing speed.
What the study found
Researchers evaluated seven commonly used sweeteners: aspartame, saccharin, Acesulfame K, erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol and tagatose.
Participants were divided into three groups based on their average daily sweetener intake. Those in the highest-consumption group averaged 191 milligrams per day, while those in the lowest group averaged 20 milligrams.
After accounting for factors such as age, sex, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, researchers found people with the highest sweetener intake experienced a 62% faster rate of cognitive decline than those with the lowest intake. The difference was estimated to be comparable to about 1.6 additional years of brain aging.
People in the middle-consumption group experienced cognitive decline that was 35% faster than those in the lowest-intake group.
Who appeared to be most affected?
The association between higher sweetener intake and faster cognitive decline was strongest among adults younger than 60. Researchers did not observe the same relationship in participants older than 60.
The link was also more pronounced among people with diabetes, who may use sugar substitutes more frequently because they are often advised to reduce sugar consumption.
When researchers examined individual sweeteners, six were associated with faster declines in overall cognition, particularly memory: aspartame, saccharin, Acesulfame K, erythritol, sorbitol and xylitol. Tagatose was the only sweetener in the study that was not linked to cognitive decline.
What the findings do and don't mean
Researchers cautioned that the study was observational, meaning it identified a relationship between sweetener intake and cognitive decline but could not determine whether the sweeteners caused the changes.
The study also relied on participants' self-reported diets, which can be subject to inaccurate recall, and it did not include every artificial sweetener currently used in foods and beverages.
"While we found links to cognitive decline for middle-aged people both with and without diabetes, people with diabetes are more likely to use artificial sweeteners as sugar substitutes," Suemoto said. "More research is needed to confirm our findings and to investigate if other refined sugar alternatives, such as applesauce, honey, maple syrup or coconut sugar, may be effective alternatives."
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at [email protected], or on X @athompsonUSAT
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New study links artificial sweeteners to faster memory decline
