Several popular sugar substitutes may be linked to a faster decline in memory and thinking skills over time, according to research published in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The study followed 12,772 adults in Brazil for about eight years and examined seven low- or no-calorie sweeteners, including aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame K, erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol and tagatose. Participants who consumed the most sweeteners showed a quicker drop in cognitive abilities than those who consumed the least.
Researchers said the association was strongest among people with diabetes. They also found that participants under age 60 who consumed the most sweeteners had faster declines in verbal fluency and overall cognitive performance, while the same pattern was not seen in people over 60.
According to study author Claudia Kimie Suemoto of the University of São Paulo in Brazil, the findings suggest some low- and no-calorie sweeteners may have negative effects on brain health over time. The researchers stressed that the study was observational and does not prove the sweeteners caused the decline.
When the sweeteners were analyzed individually, six were linked to faster declines in overall cognition, especially memory. Tagatose was the only one not associated with cognitive decline in the study.
