Overview

• Researchers followed 12,772 Brazilian adults (average age 52) for about eight years, tracking intake of seven low‑ and no‑calorie sweeteners and changes in memory and thinking.
• Participants in the highest intake group had a 62% faster decline in global cognition than the lowest group, roughly equivalent to 1.6 years of extra brain aging; the middle group declined 35% faster.
• Associations were detected in adults under 60 and were stronger in people with diabetes, with memory showing particular vulnerability in this subgroup.
• Six sweeteners—aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame‑K, erythritol, xylitol and sorbitol—were linked to faster decline, while tagatose showed no association.
• Authors note key limits including self‑reported baseline diet, no brain imaging and missing common sweeteners such as sucralose and stevia, and the industry group representing sweeteners urged caution about causal interpretation.