Artificial Sweeteners Speed Up Brain Aging by 1.6 Years

In 2025, Claudia Kimie Suemoto and a team from the University of São Paulo in Brazil studied 12,772 middle-aged adults (average age 52) over several years. They tracked intake of seven sweeteners like aspartame and saccharin in ultra-processed foods such as diet sodas and yogurts, using food surveys and cognitive tests for memory and thinking skills.

Highest consumers had faster decline in cognition, equal to 1.6 years of extra brain aging, with no change in taste perception. The link was strongest in people under 60 (up to 2x faster decline) and those with diabetes (30% worse). Sweeteners may disrupt gut bacteria or cause inflammation harming the brain.

Limit artificial sweeteners in diet drinks and snacks—switch to water or natural flavors for better brain health.