A new study recently published in the American medical journal Neurology underscores serious risks to cognitive health posed by certain sweeteners. Eating these sweeteners can speed up brain deterioration, aging your brain 1.6 years sooner. The study was led by Claudia Kimie Suemoto, a postdoc at the University of São Paulo (Brazil). Well-being among a national cohort of UK civil servants aged 35–55 years at baseline, followed-up for an average of 8 years.
The initial study looked at the impact of seven different types of sweeteners on the participants short term cognitive skills. Using multilinear questionnaires, researchers mapped out the food and beverage consumption of each participant over the past year. Among people who ingested greater quantities of sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharin, their cognitive thinking and memory abilities dwindled, at a pace 62% quicker than those who ingested less.
Claudia Kimie Suemoto remarked on the implications of the findings, stating, “Low and no-calorie sweeteners are often seen as a healthy alternative to sugar. Our findings suggest certain sweeteners may have negative effects on brain health over time.”
As part of the study, participants were given assessments of their mental function and cognition in areas like verbal fluency and word recall. The data indicated a concerning trend: as sweetener consumption increased, cognitive decline correspondingly intensified. This connection is deeply concerning for the long-term safety of artificial sweeteners.
Gavin Partington, director general of the British Soft Drinks Association, reacted to the findings with warning. Specifically, he highlighted that the study’s findings are based on observations and thus cannot determine a cause-and-effect link. He stated, “By the authors’ own admission, this study cannot prove cause.”
For example, Partington vigorously advanced the safety of alternative non-sugar sweeteners. He claimed that leading health officials from all countries at the frontline of this battle have deemed them safe. He noted, “Non-sugar sweeteners are safe, according to all leading health authorities in the world, and that’s why they have been used in a vast array of food, medicine, dental and drinks products for many decades.”
The International Sweeteners Association (ISA) reiterated the same kinds of complaints as to the study’s limitations. They emphasized that this research is completely observational and merely shows a statistical correlation not causation. They added, “The reported link between sweetener consumption and cognitive decline does not prove that one causes the other.”