A large Brazilian study has found that higher consumption of several common artificial sweeteners is associated with quicker declines in memory and thinking skills. The link was strongest in adults under 60 and those with diabetes. Researchers emphasized that the findings show only an association, not causation.
The research tracked 12,772 adults with an average age of 52 across Brazil for roughly eight years. Participants reported their intake of seven sweeteners, including aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame K, erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol and tagatose. Those with the highest total consumption showed a 62 percent faster drop in overall cognitive performance compared with the lowest group, a difference roughly equal to 1.6 extra years of aging.
Six of the sweeteners were tied to faster declines in memory and thinking, while tagatose showed no such link. The association appeared stronger among people younger than 60 and among participants with diabetes.
"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," said study author Claudia Kimie Suemoto of the University of São Paulo.
The observational study relied on self-reported diet data and could not prove that the sweeteners caused the changes. More research is needed to explore the connection and test other sugar alternatives.
