A recent study published in the journal Neurology suggests that consuming artificial sweeteners may accelerate brain aging by over 1.5 years. The research, conducted by Dr. Claudia Kimie Suemoto and her team at the University of São Paulo’s Medical School in Brazil, examined the effects of artificial sweeteners on cognitive decline. The study analyzed data from nearly 13,000 Brazilians aged 35 to 75 over an eight-year period.
Participants who consumed the highest levels of artificial sweeteners, equivalent to just one diet soda a day, experienced a 62% faster decline in global cognitive abilities compared to those who consumed the least. This decline equates to approximately 1.6 years of brain aging. The sweeteners studied included aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-K, erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol, and tagatose. Among these, tagatose was not linked to cognitive decline.
The study found that the effects were more pronounced in individuals under 60 and those with diabetes. Dr. Suemoto noted that artificial sweeteners might trigger neuroinflammation and disrupt the gut-brain axis, potentially making the brain more vulnerable over time.
The study is observational and does not prove causation, but it raises important questions about the long-term impact of artificial sweeteners on brain health. As Dr. Suemoto emphasized, understanding dietary habits earlier in adulthood could have significant implications for brain wellness in later years.
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