A newly released study is raising concerns about what artificial sweeteners might be doing behind the scenes.
Researchers followed over 12,000 middle-aged adults for nearly a decade, examining how their diets related to changes in memory and brain function. The results pointed to a worrying trend: people who regularly consumed artificial sweeteners saw their cognitive skills decline faster than those who used them sparingly.
Those with the highest intake, the kind of levels found in one diet soda a day, showed a 62 percent quicker decline in thinking and memory. Even moderate users experienced noticeable setbacks, declining 35 percent faster than those who had little to no artificial sweetener in their diet.
Dr. Claudia Kimie Suemoto, the lead researcher, emphasized that while the study can’t claim sweeteners are the direct cause of brain aging, the connection is clear enough to raise red flags. “We found a consistent pattern: higher consumption was linked to a steeper drop in cognitive health.”
Six common sweeteners were identified in the findings: acesulfame-K, aspartame, erythritol, saccharin, sorbitol, and xylitol. Notably, people living with diabetes appeared to face even faster mental decline.
Industry groups have pushed back, warning that the study doesn’t prove a direct link. Still, this research adds to growing questions about whether sugar substitutes are as harmless as they seem.
