A large study from Brazil suggests that consuming artificial sweeteners could accelerate age-related memory and thinking decline.
Researchers followed more than 12,000 adults for eight years and found that those who consumed the highest amounts of sugar substitutes experienced a 62% faster decline in cognitive skills compared to those who consumed very little.
This difference was roughly equal to an extra 1.6 years of brain aging. Even moderate consumption was linked to a noticeably faster decline. Of the seven sweeteners studied, six, including aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-K, erythritol, xylitol, and sorbitol were associated with poorer outcomes, while tagatose showed no significant effect.
The connection was strongest in people under 60 and those with diabetes. The study raises concerns about the long-term impact of artificial sweeteners on brain health. The findings suggest that limiting sweetener use may help protect memory and thinking skills as we age.
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