Whether you work in an office or from home, you’re likely familiar with the after-lunch slump that makes you reach for another coffee or a soda.
If you’ve front-loaded a lot of caffeine in the morning, this is typically the time you would feel a crash. Eating a large meal or not drinking enough water can also lead to that sluggish feeling.
There’s nothing wrong with reaching for a pick-me-up at this time of day, though a short walk or refilling your water bottle is the healthiest option. But if your personal favorite afternoon treat is a Diet Coke, an updated study from the peer-reviewed journal Neurology presents some new data you’re going to want to see.
The study’s newest findings present a concerning link between low- and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS) used in diet drinks and accelerated cognitive decline.
In a pool of 12,772 Brazilian participants tested over eight years, people younger than age 60 who consumed LNCS regularly showed a faster decline in verbal fluency and global cognition. The studied LNCS included aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame k, erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol, and tagatose.
Six of the seven sweeteners showed a link to cognitive decline, with tagatose being the one that did not.
People below age 60 who consume artificial sweeteners regularly showed a faster decline in verbal fluency and global cognition.
Participants were tested at the beginning, middle, and end of the study to track changes and then separated into three groups based on consumption levels.
The highest consumption level group showed a cognitive decline 62% faster than that of the lowest group. However, those over 60 did not show an association between LNCS and cognitive decline.
READ MORE: https://www.msn.com/en-us/food-and-drink/general/ar-AA29lwnh