By Brace yourself for some not-so-sweet news: People who ingest high levels of artificially sweetened foods are on a faster path to cognitive decline, a new study suggests.
Researchers who published results in the journal Neurology tracked nearly 13,000 adults (average age: 52) and their diets for eight years. They said participants in the highest tier of daily artificial sweetener consumption — 191 milligrams, the amount typically found in a can of diet soda — saw a 62 percent faster decline in cognitive and memory skills, compared with their counterparts who consumed only 20 milligrams of artificial sweetener a day. The scientists behind the study say that’s the equivalent of 1.6 years of aging.
By comparison, study participants in the middle range of consumption — an average of 66 milligrams of artificial sweeteners daily — declined 35 percent faster, equivalent to 1.3 years of aging, compared to the lowest group.
“Now, the study is only observational — I cannot say to you that artificial sweeteners cause cognitive decline,” lead study author Dr. Claudia Kimie Suemoto said. “We do know, however, that these sweeteners are associated with worse cognitive trajectories.”
People with diabetes had a quicker decline in memory and cognition compared with people without the condition, researchers noted.
The study identified six artificial sweeteners it says are linked to cognitive decline: acesulfame-k, aspartame, erythritol, saccharin, sorbitol and xylitol.
The International Sweeteners Association cautioned that the study does not establish firm conclusions.
“As with all such research, the findings may be influenced by many confounding factors, including overall dietary patterns, lifestyle choices and other health conditions,” the industry group said. “The study’s own authors acknowledge this, cautioning against drawing causal conclusions.”
“Sweeteners provide a safe and effective way to reduce sugar and calorie intake, a key public health goal for managing conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes,” they added.