10/09/2025
from Professor Erwin Loh - President @ Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators | Experienced Chief Medical Officer | Independent Board Director | Medical FuturistPresident @ Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators | Experienced Chief Medical Officer | Independent Board Director | Medical Futurist
Common artificial sweeteners linked to cognitive decline
A new study published in the journal Neurology provides evidence that regular consumption of certain artificial and low-calorie sweeteners may be linked to a faster decline in memory and other cognitive abilities over time.
Using data from more than 12,000 middle-aged and older adults in Brazil, researchers found that individuals who consumed higher amounts of these sweeteners tended to show steeper drops in verbal fluency, memory, and overall cognitive function over an eight-year period.
The association appeared stronger in people with diabetes but was also observed among participants without the condition.
When each sweetener was analyzed separately, consumption of aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame potassium, erythritol, xylitol, and sorbitol was associated with faster decline in global cognition, especially in memory and verbal fluency. In contrast, tagatose—a naturally occurring sugar found in some dairy products and fruits—was not associated with cognitive decline.
Background and ObjectivesConsumption of low- and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCSs) has been associated with adverse health outcomes. However, little is known about the association between consumption of LNCSs and cognition. The aim of this study was to ...
