6 Sweeteners Linked To Faster Middle-Age Cognitive Decline
According to a 2023 study, a high consumption of sugar among older adults appears to be linked to an increased dementia risk.
More recent research published in the journal Neurology has found a link between the high consumption of some artificial sweeteners and dementia risk among under-60s, too.
In the paper, which followed 12,772 adults with an average age of 52 for a mean of eight years, some artificial sweeteners appeared to be linked to faster cognitive decline.
Among the highest consumers, that equalled “about 1.6 years of ageing”.
Which sweeteners were used in the study?
In this research, the scientists looked at the effects of:
- aspartame,
- saccharin,
- acesulfame-K,
- erythritol,
- xylitol,
- sorbitol, and
- tagatose
on participants’ brain health.
Only tagatose did not have a link to faster cognitive decline in this study.
What did the study show?
The researchers asked participants to fill in questionnaires about their diets at the start of the study. They were then split into three groups: low, medium, and high sweetener consumption.
The lower group consumed about 20 milligrams (mg) a day on average, and for the highest group, it was as high as 191mg a day.
They also took cognitive tests at the beginning, middle, and end of the study. These were designed to assess six cognitive factors including memory, word recall, and verbal fluency.
After adjusting for things like age, gender, and blood pressure, this research showed a link between a higher consumption of six low- and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCSs) and dementia risk, especially among under-60s.
Those in the higher-consumption group experienced cognitive decline 65% faster than those in the lowest-LNCS consuming group. The middle group experienced cognitive changes 35% more quickly compared to those who consumed the fewest LNCSs.
“Daily consumption of LNCs was associated with accelerated decline in memory, verbal fluency and global cognition,” the paper read.
This effect seemed to be stronger among those with diabetes.
Study author Professor Claudia Kimie Suemoto said, “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.
“More research is needed to confirm our findings and to investigate if other refined sugar alternatives, such as applesauce, honey, maple syrup or coconut sugar, may be effective alternatives.”
This study only shows a correlation
“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,” Professor Suemoto shared.
But the researchers themselves said that more research is needed to work out exactly what this data, which only proves an association and not a cause, means.
The NHS said that “all sweeteners in Great Britain undergo a rigorous safety assessment before they can be used in food and drink. All approved sweeteners are considered a safe and acceptable alternative to using sugar”.
The International Sweeteners Association (ISA) shared in a statement that said, “This research is an observational study, which can only show a statistical association, not a direct cause-and-effect relationship.
“The reported link between sweetener consumption and cognitive decline does not prove that one causes the other.”
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