Some sugar substitutes are associated with faster cognitive impairment. It is what suggests a population study published on Wednesday the magazine. The investigation took a database of 12,700 adults, but focused on those between 55 and 72 years (about 5,000), then its evolution continued for eight years. At this time they were registered everything they ate and undergoes them to verify their mental speed and cognitive impairment. The researchers monitored seven artificial sweeteners that are usually found in ultraprocess foods. People who consumed the highest total amounts presented a faster deterioration of cognitive and memory capacities in general, equivalent to 1.6 years of aging, than those who barely consumed sweeteners.
“This is the broader and most prolonged prospective study until the date that the association between the consumption of artificial sweeteners and cognitive deterioration is investigated,” he explains, Physics of the University of Sao Paulo (Brazil) and author of the essay. “Although previous investigations had linked sweeteners with conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and depression, their long -term impact on cognition had not been systematically explored.”
Dementia, and more will be in a world that ages for forced marches. Historically, it has been seen as a side and inevitable effect of old age. The only trigger seemed to be the passage of time. But they have questioned this maxim. “We are increasingly clear that this can be modified with healthy habits,” he explains, neurologist at the Ramón y Cajal hospital in Madrid. “But it is difficult to demonstrate it with studies, those who have related a change in life habits, in healthy diet, with a better aging are very few.”
In fact, García Ribas is not especially flattering with the present study. Criticize the database (which is reduced), the age of the patients (too young) and the amounts of sweeteners taken as a reference to make the groups (too broad). He believes that the study “can give clues to where the shots go”, but that it is difficult to infer from it that the sweeteners in particular are the cause of a cognitive impairment, since these products are usually present in ultra -processed foods, indicated as responsible for this deterioration in.
“There are two findings that suggest that sweeteners could have specific effects beyond being a marker of a poor diet,” Suemoto defends himself. “First, we observe associations for several individual sweeteners,” he explains. These are the ones that people throw in coffee or yogurt unlike the compounds, which uses the industry in their products. “In addition, there is a biological plausibility from studies in animal models,” continues the expert. Artificial sweeteners can trigger processes such as neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration or alteration of the intestine-cerebro axis. This has been demonstrated by several studies in mice. These phenomena could affect the brain and explain its deterioration.
But they are hypothesis. “Correlation does not imply causality,” abounds the food technologist. “That is, there is a relationship between the consumption of sweeteners and cognitive deterioration, it does not mean that the first is causing the second. This study can give clues to continue investigating in that way, but it is not enough to affirm that sweeteners accelerate cognitive deterioration.”
It has been associated with various negative effects for health, such as a greater risk of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and dementia. And almost all of us make excessive consumption. In Spain, triple the maximum amount of sugar that WHO up to date is consumed.
To limit their consumption, many people are resorting to low -calorie or calories. However, there are reports that link the consumption of some of these non -nutritious (although attenuated) sweeteners such as insulin resistance and cardiovascular diseases. Non -nutritious sweeteners may be better than sugar, but that does not make them good. In 2023, the World Health Organization to lose weight or reduce the risk of chronic diseases. At the moment, however, little is known about its impact on brain health. Studies like the present begin to shed light on the subject.
“We have added solid evidence that these compounds may not be harmless,” Suemoto summarizes, “especially when consumed frequently and from the middle age.” In a broader scientific context, these findings highlight the need to examine more critically what we use to replace sugar in our diet, and underline that food choices in medium age can have consequences for brain health decades later.
