According to a 2023 study, a high consumption of sugar among older adults appears to be linked to an increased dementia risk.
More recent research published in the journal Neurology has found a link between the high consumption of some artificial sweeteners and dementia risk among under-60s, too.
In the paper, which followed 12,772 adults with an average age of 52 for a mean of eight years, some artificial sweeteners appeared to be linked to faster cognitive decline.
Among the highest consumers, that equalled “about 1.6 years of ageing”.
Which sweeteners were used in the study?
In this research, the scientists looked at the effects of:
- aspartame,
- saccharin,
- acesulfame-K,
- erythritol,
- xylitol,
- sorbitol, and
- tagatose
on participants’ brain health.
Only tagatose did not have a link to faster cognitive decline in this study.
English (US)