Research Links Sweeteners to Cognitive Decline
New research suggests that sweeteners commonly found in yogurts and fizzy drinks could impair thinking and memory skills, indicating potential long-term health risks.
Individuals consuming higher levels of sweeteners like aspartame and saccharin experienced a significant decline in cognitive function—around 62% faster than those with lower intake levels. This decline, researchers estimate, is akin to aging 1.6 years.
The researchers noted, “These findings point to the possibility of lasting harm from low- and no-calorie sweeteners, especially artificial options and sugar alcohols, on cognitive abilities.”
Previous studies have also raised alarms about the negative impacts of sweeteners, linking them to various health issues, such as type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, heart complications, depression, and dementia, not to mention their effects on gut health.
Given these concerns about cognitive decline, the researchers suggested opting for natural sweeteners like tagatose, honey, or maple syrup instead.
The study involved 12,772 civil servants in Brazil, averaging around 52 years old, who were observed over about eight years. Participants filled out questionnaires about their food and drink habits and later completed tests assessing cognitive skills such as verbal fluency and memory recall.
The researchers found that heavy sweetener consumers experienced cognitive decline—essentially losing thinking and memory abilities—at a rate 62% quicker than their peers. This was equivalent to the impact of growing older by 1.6 years.
Specifically, the intake of various sweeteners, including aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame K, erythritol, sorbitol, and xylitol, was related to cognitive losses.
“Regular consumption of these sweeteners was linked with faster deterioration in memory, verbal fluency, and overall cognition,” according to the study published in the American medical journal Neurology.
The trend, however, appeared primarily in participants younger than 60. This finding indicates that middle-aged adults might particularly benefit from reducing their sweetener intake.
These sweeteners are also present in flavored waters, low-calorie desserts, and energy drinks.
Claudia Kimie Suemoto, the lead author from the University of São Paulo in Brazil, commented, “While low and no-calorie sweeteners are often regarded as healthier alternatives to sugar, our results indicate that some may negatively affect brain health over time.”
Industry representatives have expressed skepticism about the study’s conclusions. Gavin Partington, director general of the British Soft Drinks Association, emphasized that the study does not establish a cause-effect relationship.
“According to all major health authorities, non-sugar sweeteners are safe. They have been utilized for decades in various products, facilitating the removal of nearly 750 million kilograms of sugar from UK items since 2015,” he added.
The International Sweeteners Association (ISA) asserted that a consensus exists in the scientific community affirming the safety of sweeteners.
They remarked that the study being observational merely indicates statistical links, not direct causation. Thus, the suggested connection between sweetener intake and cognitive decline does not definitively prove one affects the other.
