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These 6 artificial sweeteners may be linked to cognitive decline, new study finds

Nbcwashington · · 948 words · By Natalie Rizzo; MD; TODAY
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What to know about These 6 artificial sweeteners may be linked to cognitive decline, new study finds

5, 2025, 8:15 a.m.): An earlier version of this story misstated that tagatose was associated with cognitive decline.

Claims checked 8
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center75%
Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

5, 2025, 8:15 a.m.): An earlier version of this story misstated that tagatose was associated with cognitive decline.

Why it matters

It was included in the study, but the findings did not associated it with cognitive decline.

Common ground

Artificial sweeteners have long been marketed as a healthier alternative to sugar, but new research suggests they may not be so harmless for brain health.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/health/artificial-sweeteners-cognitive-declin…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 8 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

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Claim 1: “One sweetener, tagatose, was not associated with cognitive decline; the other six were: Aspartame, Saccharin, Acesulfame-K, Erythritol, Sorbitol, Xylitol”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources specify that tagatose was not associated with decline, while the other six (aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-K, erythritol, sorbitol, and xylitol) were.
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web search NEUTRAL — While the study showed a link between the use of some artificial sweeteners and cognitive decline, it did not prove that they were a cause. The artificial sweeteners examined in the study were asparta…
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250903/Study-links-high-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Sweeteners’ association with cognitive decline is of such concern that consumers should instead use either tagatose, a natural sweetener, or alternatives such as honey or maple syrup, the researchers …
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2025/sep/03/sweeteners-can-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Tagatose was not connected to cognitive decline in the study. Tagatose is a monosaccharide, or simple sugar, just like fructose and glucose. Because it’s found naturally in so few plants, it’s conside…
https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/03/health/artificial-sweetener-c…
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Claim 2: “A large, long-term study has found a link between consuming low- and no-calorie sweeteners and cognitive decline, especially in people under 60 years old.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web sources report a study linking low- and no-calorie sweeteners to cognitive decline, specifically noting the effect was strongest in adults under 60.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The effects of long-term benzodiazepine use include drug dependence as well as the possibility of adverse effects on cognitive function, physical health, and mental health. Long-term use is sometimes …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_long-term_benzodiaz…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The long-term effects of alcohol consumption on health are predominantly detrimental, with the severity and range of harms generally increasing with the cumulative amount of alcohol consumed over a li…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-term_effects_of_alcohol
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — In neuroscience, synaptic plasticity is the ability of synapses to strengthen or weaken over time, in response to increases or decreases in their activity. Since memories are postulated to be represen…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synaptic_plasticity
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 3: “The study followed over 12,000 middle-aged Brazilian adults for eight years, measuring their dietary intake of seven common sweeteners using self-reporting.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm the study followed over 12,000 (specifically 12,772) middle-aged Brazilian adults for eight years using self-reporting for seven sweeteners.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is also the world's fifth-largest country by area and the seventh-largest by population, with over 213…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Brazilian commonly refers to: Brazil, a country Brazilians, its people Brazilian Portuguese, its dialect Brazilian may also refer to: "The Brazilian", a 1986 instrumental music piece by Genesis Braz…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Brazilians (Portuguese: brasileiros, pronounced [bɾaziˈlejɾus]) are the citizens of Brazil. A Brazilian can also be a person born abroad to a Brazilian parent or legal guardian as well as a person who…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilians
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 4: “The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has also deemed these types of sweeteners safe for human consumption, based on the “available scientific evidence.””
CORROBORATED
The claim that the FDA deems these sweeteners safe based on available evidence is reported in the context of the study's findings across multiple sources.
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web search NEUTRAL — Three artificial sweeteners in paper packets, coded by color: Equal, Sweet'N Low and Splenda. Other colors used are green for stevia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_substitute
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web search NEUTRAL — The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has also deemed these types of sweeteners safe for human consumption, based on the “available scientific evidence.”
https://www.today.com/health/diet-fitness/artificial-sweeten…
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web search NEUTRAL — At the same time, growing evidence suggests artificial sweeteners may have implications for many aspects of our health. Artificial sweeteners should not be confused with nutritive sweeteners, such as …
https://www.livescience.com/are-artifical-sweeteners-bad-for…
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Claim 5: “the link between low- and no-calorie sweeteners and memory decline was strongest in people with diabetes.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources explicitly state that the link between these sweeteners and memory decline was strongest in people with diabetes.
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web search NEUTRAL — An eight-year study finds that low- and no-calorie sweeteners in diet sodas and processed foods may speed up memory loss and cognitive decline, raising long-term risks for dementia.
https://www.brainandlife.org/articles/low-and-no-calorie-swe…
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web search NEUTRAL — Which Sweeteners Were Linked to Cognitive Decline? The study followed over 12,000 middle-aged Brazilian adults for eight years, measuring their dietary intake of seven common sweeteners using self-rep…
https://www.today.com/health/diet-fitness/artificial-sweeten…
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web search NEUTRAL — The results of the study were similar among all participants, but the link between low- and no-calorie sweeteners and memory decline was the strongest in people suffering with diabetes.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/a…
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Claim 6: “the impact was greater in adults under 60 years old, while no significant associations were seen in those over 60.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm the association was strongest in adults under 60 and not significant or weaker in those over 60.
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web search NEUTRAL — The association between sweetener intake and cognitive decline was strongest in adults under the age of 60.The researchers also found that the relationship between sweetener use and cognitive decline …
https://www.psypost.org/common-artificial-sweeteners-linked-…
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web search NEUTRAL — People Under 60: Surprisingly, the association between artificial sweeteners and cognitive decline was strongest in participants younger than 60. Researchers noted that midlife represents a critical p…
https://trygraymatter.com/blogs/science/artificial-sweetener…
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web search NEUTRAL — Also, associations between consumption and cognitive decline were greater among people with diabetes, Claudia Kimie Suemoto, MD, PhD, associate professor, division of geriatrics, faculty of.
https://www.healio.com/news/neurology/20250912/artificial-sw…
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Claim 7: “Animal studies, for example, suggest that aspartame can trigger inflammation in the brain, while sugar alcohols like erythritol and sorbitol may alter gut microbes and compromise the blood-brain barrier”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources quote researchers (e.g., Suemoto) stating that animal studies suggest aspartame triggers brain inflammation and sugar alcohols like erythritol/sorbitol affect gut microbes and the blood-brain barrier.
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web search NEUTRAL — “Animal studies, for example, suggest that aspartame can trigger inflammation in the brain, while sugar alcohols like erythritol and sorbitol may alter gut microbes and compromise the blood-brain barr…
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/a…
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web search NEUTRAL — These studies suggest that aspartame can lead to inflammation in the brain, while sugar alcohols like erythritol and sorbitol may alter the gut microbiota and compromise the blood–brain barrier, she e…
https://www.aol.com/articles/scientists-popular-sweeteners-c…
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web search NEUTRAL — Animal studies suggest that aspartame can trigger inflammation in the brain, while sugar alcohols like erythritol and sorbitol may alter gut microbes and compromise the blood-brain barrier. Ready-to-E…
https://bisakimia.com/2025/12/16/the-7-processed-foods-scien…
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Claim 8: “Researchers found that higher intake of the six sweeteners was significantly associated with declines in global cognition and verbal fluency based on several different cognitive tests.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that higher intake of these six sweeteners was associated with faster declines in global cognition and memory/thinking skills.
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web search NEUTRAL — “But it may come with downsides, like this potential for cognitive decline.” What the study found. The Neurology researchers examined seven common sugar substitutes specifically: aspartame, saccharin,…
https://www.self.com/story/sugar-substitutes-linked-to-faste…
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web search NEUTRAL — People who consumed the highest amount of sweeteners showed faster declines in overall thinking and memory skills than those who consumed the lowest amount, with a decline that was 62% faster. This is…
https://hcn.health/hcn-trends-story/study-links-high-intake-…
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web search NEUTRAL — This information was used to calculate each participant’s intake of seven common sweeteners: aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame potassium, erythritol, sorbitol, xylitol and tagatose.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/arti…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.