A brazilian study published in the journal Neurology suggests that some artificial sweeteners may negatively impact long-term brain health.
Researchers examined seven low- and no-calorie sweeteners—aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-K, erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol and tagatose—and found that higher consumption was linked to faster declines in thinking and memory skills.
The study followed 12,772 Brazilian adults, with an average age of 52, over eight years. Participants reported their dietary habits, including sweetener intake and underwent cognitive testing at the beginning, middle and end of the study to assess memory, language and thinking abilities.
Sweeteners were mainly consumed through ultra-processed foods like flavoured water, soda, energy drinks, yogurt and low-calorie desserts. Some also used them as standalone sweeteners. Based on intake levels, participants were divided into three groups. The highest-intake group consumed an average of 191mg per day, roughly equivalent to one can of diet soda containing aspartame. Sorbitol was the most commonly consumed sweetener, averaging 64mg per day.
Findings:
After adjusting for age, sex, blood pressure and heart disease, researchers found that participants in the highest consumption group experienced a 62 per cent faster cognitive decline, equivalent to about 1.6 years of ageing, compared with those in the lowest group. Moderate consumers saw a 35 per cent faster decline, or about 1.3 years of ageing.
Individuals younger than 60 and those with diabetes who consumed high levels of sweeteners showed especially pronounced declines in verbal fluency and overall brain function. Of the seven sweeteners studied, six were linked to memory-related decline. Tagatose was the only one not associated with cognitive 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,” said the study author.
