Health Alert: Some artificial sweeteners linked to faster brain aging –Researchers

*Researchers in Brazil, in a recent brain health study, found that people who consumed the most artificial sweeteners experienced faster declines in memory, language, and overall thinking skills

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

A fresh study links high artificial sweetener consumption to faster cognitive decline, especially in younger adults and those with diabetes.

ConsumerConnect gathered the extensive Brazilian study suggested the high intake of certain sugar substitutes might speed up memory and thinking decline in consumers.

Researchers found that people who consumed the most artificial sweeteners experienced faster declines in memory and thinking skills.

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Several consumers reach for diet sodas, flavoured waters, or low-calorie desserts believing they’re a healthier choice than sugary options.

However, a new study recently published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, hinted that some sugar substitutes might come with hidden risks — particularly for brain health.

Researchers in Brazil tracked over 12,700 adults for nearly a decade to see how consumption of low- and no-calorie sweeteners might affect memory, language, and overall thinking abilities.

The experts discovered that people who consumed the most sweeteners experienced faster declines in these skills, raising questions about the long-term effects of artificial sugar alternatives.

Study author Claudia Kimie Suemoto, M.D., Ph.D., in a statement, said: “Low- and no-calorie sweeteners are often seen as a healthy alternative to sugar.

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“However, our findings suggest certain sweeteners may have negative effects on brain health over time.”

The study included adults with an average age of 52, who were tracked for about eight years.

At the beginning, participants filled out detailed food and drink questionnaires, reporting what they consumed over the prior year.

Subsequently, researchers looked specifically at seven common artificial sweeteners: aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-K, erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol, and tagatose.

These sweeteners are often found in diet drinks, energy drinks, yogurt, and low-calorie desserts.

Based on intake, participants were divided into three groups.

The lowest group consumed around 20 milligrams of sweeteners per day, while the highest consumed about 191 milligrams daily — the equivalent of roughly one can of diet soda for aspartame.

In order to measure changes over time, participants completed cognitive tests at the start, middle, and end of the study, said the researchers.

The tests assessed memory, word recall, processing speed, and verbal fluency. The experts then, adjusted for other health factors, such as age, sex, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease.

Based on their findings, the researchers revealed the people who consumed the highest amounts of artificial sweeteners showed a decline in overall thinking and memory that was 62 percent faster than those who consumed the least.

This was found to be equivalent to about 1.6 years of additional brain aging.

Those in the middle group also saw declines, though less steep.

The report said the link was most noticeable in adults under 60 and in those with diabetes, who are more likely to rely on sugar substitutes.

Interestingly, one sweetener — tagatose — was not associated with cognitive decline, the study noted.

Further highlighting the findings, Dr. Suemoto, the study author, said: “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.

“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.”

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