A new study published in “Neurology,” the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, indicates that those who consume higher amounts of low- and no-calorie artificial sugars may experience faster memory decline and thinking skills over time. In addition, the study found there was an association between greater artificial sugar intake and accelerated cognitive decline, particularly among adults with diabetes and those younger than 60. However, scientists stressed that their findings did not prove that artificial sugars directly caused the cognitive decline.
In a statement, the study author, Dr. Claudia Kimie Suemoto of the University of São Paulo, said, “Low- and no-calorie sweeteners are often seen as a healthy alternative to sugar; however, our findings suggest certain sweeteners may have negative effects on brain health over time.”
About the Artificial Sugar Study
The study followed 12,772 adults in Brazil for about eight years. During that time, researchers tracked their diets and cognitive performance through repeated assessments of verbal fluency, memory, and processing speed.
For the study, researchers evaluated seven commonly used artificial sugars: Acesulfame K, aspartame, erythritol, saccharin, sorbitol, tagatose, and xylitol. Then, researchers divided the participants into three groups based on their average daily sweetener intake. Those in the highest-consumption group averaged 191 milligrams per day, while those in the lowest group averaged 20 milligrams.
After researchers accounted for factors such as sex, age, cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure, they discovered people with the highest artificial sugar intake experienced a 62% faster rate of cognitive decline than those with the lowest intake.
Furthermore, the difference was compared to roughly 1.6 additional years of brain aging. Those in the middle-consumption group were found to experience cognitive decline 35% faster than the participants in the lowest-intake group.
More on the Study
Moreover, the data showed the association between higher artificial sugar intake and faster cognitive decline was strongest among adults younger than 60. They did not see the same relationship in those older than 60.
Upon examining the sweeteners individually, researchers found six were associated with faster declines in overall cognition, particularly memory: Acesulfame K, aspartame, erythritol, saccharin, sorbitol, and xylitol. Tagatose was the only artificial sugar in the study that was not linked to cognitive decline. That being said, the researchers cautioned that the study was observational, meaning they were able to identify a relationship between artificial sugar intake and cognitive decline, but they could not determine if the sweeteners caused the changes.
Furthermore, the study relied on the participants’ reports of their diets. This can be subject to inaccurate recalls. The study also did not include every artificial sugar currently used in beverages and foods.
“While we found links to cognitive decline for middle-aged people both with and without diabetes, people with diabetes are more likely to use artificial sweeteners as sugar substitutes,” Suemoto stated. She went on to say that further research needed to be done in order to confirm their findings. She also said they needed “to investigate if other refined sugar alternatives, such as applesauce, honey, maple syrup or coconut sugar, may be effective alternatives.”
By Sheena
Sources:
USA Today: New study links artificial sweeteners to faster memory decline
Science Daily: Popular sugar substitutes linked to faster brain aging
Image by arbyreed Courtesy of Flickr – Creative Commons
