- A large study links higher consumption of several artificial sweeteners to faster declines in memory and thinking skills.
- The association was especially strong among people under 60 or with diabetes.
- Higher sweetener intake was linked to cognitive aging roughly 1.6 years faster than lower intake.
- Six sweeteners (aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame K, erythritol, sorbitol, xylitol) were associated with cognitive decline, while tagatose was not.
- The study is observational and does not prove causation; more research is needed.