Various artificial sweeteners, while a healthier alternative to refined sugar in some respects, may have detrimental effects on brain function and verbal fluency. That’s according to a new study conducted over eight years in Brazil.
Which sweeteners pose a risk?
A team of scientists observed more than 12,700 civil servants over an eight-year period, beginning with a questionnaire to determine their intake of certain artificial sweeteners. What they found was that those who consumed six types of artificial sweeteners –– Aspartame, Saccharin, Acesulfame-K, Erythritol, Sorbitol and Xylitol –– exhibited reduced cognitive performance and verbal fluency before hitting the age of 60.
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“It is important to remember that cognitive performance peaks around the third decade of life, between 25 and 30 years old, and after that there is a very slow, gradual decline in function,” Dr. Claudia Suemoto, associate professor of geriatrics at the University of Sao Paulo and one of the study’s co-authors, told Today.com. “What our study shows is that sweetener consumption may accelerate this natural process, even in middle-aged adults.”
The youngest participants were 35 at the beginning of the study, with an average age of around 52. The size of the participant pool made this study the largest of its kind.
According to the researchers, there was no significant reduction in brain function or verbal dexterity for those over the age of 60. But a faster decline in both cognition and speaking was observed in younger participants with diabetes.
RFK Jr. takes aim at traditional sugars
Artificial sweeteners are common in ultra-processed foods. While these foods don’t yet have a standardized definition, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is attempting to crack down on them.
Kennedy has already taken aim at artificial sweeteners’ naturally occurring cousin, sugar, calling it “poison.”
“I don’t think that we’re going to be able to eliminate sugar,” Kennedy said back in April. “But I think what we need to do, probably, is give Americans knowledge about how much sugar is in their products, and also, with the new nutrition guidelines, we’ll give them a very clear idea about how much sugar they should be using, which is zero.”
What could explain the study’s findings?
Various studies on animals suggest that cognitive decline may be due to neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration or damage to the pathways that connect the gut and the brain. However, those studies relied on significantly larger doses of artificial sweetener than a human consumes in a single day, Today.com notes.
“Animal studies, for example, suggest that aspartame can trigger inflammation in the brain, while sugar alcohols like erythritol and sorbitol may alter gut microbes and compromise the blood-brain barrier,” Suemoto said, adding that “more research is needed both in animal models and mostly in humans,” to determine causation.
The researchers noted that limitations of their study included self-reported dietary data, selection bias and an inability to control for “co-occurring health behaviors.”
International Sweeteners Association pushes back
In response to the study’s publication, the International Sweeteners Association released a statement that reads, “This research is an observational study, which can only show a statistical association, not a direct cause-and-effect relationship … As with all such research, the findings may be influenced by many confounding factors, including overall dietary patterns, lifestyle choices and other health conditions.”
Given the limitations of the study, Suemoto said that future research could focus on brain imaging to see which parts are most affected by artificial sweetener consumption. Likewise, conducting randomized studies in which participants reduce or completely eliminate artificial sweeteners from their diet would also be beneficial.
Artificial sweeteners were linked to an increased risk of heart disease, according to a 2022 study out of France. They have also been shown to correlate with certain types of cancer.
As recently as February, the FDA reiterated its support for aspartame specifically, and artificial sweeteners more broadly, writing, “Based on the available scientific evidence, sweeteners authorized by the FDA are safe for the general population under certain conditions of use.”
