Artificial sweeteners, once promoted as safe alternatives to sugar, are increasingly linked to serious health risks — and now, new research ties them to accelerated brain decline.
A Brazilian study of 12,772 adults found that consuming artificial sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-k, erythritol, sorbitol, and xylitol led to a significantly faster drop in memory and thinking skills over eight years. Participants with the highest intake showed a 62% faster cognitive decline than low-intake individuals, equivalent to nearly 1.6 years of brain aging.
Those with diabetes were especially affected, as they are more likely to consume sugar substitutes. The researchers noted that people over 60 did not show the same decline, and one sweetener — tagatose — was not linked to cognitive harm.
Artificial sweeteners have already been tied to higher risks of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. This new evidence suggests they may also erode brain health. While further research is needed, scientists warn that so-called “low-calorie” substitutes may not be the safe alternatives they were once believed to be.
