The results of a new study may have you rethinking your diet soda habit. While lots of people reach for diet drinks and foods thinking they’re a healthier alternative to sugar, new research out of Brazil finds artificial sweeteners can have a detrimental effect on your cognitive health. And the risk is especially high in middle age.
For the study, researchers with the University of São Paulo tracked nearly 13-thousand people with an average age of 52 for an eight-year period.
- Participants shared what they ate and drank and study authors focused on seven artificial sweeteners commonly found in soda, energy drinks, flavored water, yogurt and low-calorie desserts: aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-K, erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol, and tagatose.
- At various points throughout the study, participants did cognitive tests to check memory, language, and thinking skills.
- On the high end, people consumed an average of 191-milligrams per day of the artificial sweeteners, while the lowest group had an average of 20-milligrams.
- It turns out, those who consumed the highest amounts of artificial sweeteners had “significantly faster declines” in thinking and memory skills.
- That group lost around 1.6-years in extra brain aging, with a 62% faster decline.
- All of the sweeteners were linked to a faster decline in cognition, especially memory, except one - tagatose.
- While researchers expected older adults to be more affected, since they’re at higher risk of dementia or cognitive impairment, participants over age 60 didn’t seem to be affected. Those at higher risk were adults under 60 and people with diabetes.
“People often believe artificial sweeteners are a safer alternative to sugar, but our results suggest they may not be harmless, particularly when consumed frequently and starting in midlife,” explains study author Claudia Kimie Suemoto. “The best message for the public is to reduce both added sugars and artificial sweeteners, and whenever possible, choose natural options and focus on a balanced diet rich in whole foods.”
Source: NY Post