Six popular sugar substitutes linked to faster cognitive decline

A Neurology study of 12,772 adults in Brazil found that those consuming the most low- and no-calorie sweeteners (averaging 191 mg/day) had a 62% faster decline in memory and thinking than those with the lowest intake (20 mg/day). The association was stronger in people with diabetes and adults under 60; tagatose was the only one of seven sweeteners not linked to decline.

• 12,772 participants, average age 52, followed for about eight years
• High intake averaged 191 mg/day versus 20 mg/day in the low group
• 62% faster cognitive decline, equal to about 1.6 extra years of aging
• Linked sweeteners: aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-K, erythritol, sorbitol, xylitol