Recent research found a connection between certain sweeteners and cognitive decline, especially in diabetes patients. The findings are summarized in an American Academy of Neurology (AAN) press release.
According to AAN, the researchers investigated aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-K, erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol, and tagatose in over 12,000 adults over eight years. They discovered that the more artificial sweeteners participants consumed, the quicker they experienced “declines in overall thinking and memory skills.” Specifically, their cognitive decline showed to be “62% faster” than those who used less sweetener.
Additionally, participants under 60 and participants with diabetes who consumed more sweeteners displayed quicker cognitive decline. The researchers “did not find links in people over 60.”
Tagatose was the only studied sweetener that did not speed cognitive decline. AAN emphasized that, "While the study showed a link between the use of some artificial sweeteners and cognitive decline, it did not prove that they were a cause.”
The study is published in AAN’s journal, Neurology.
