Posted on 08/07/2026 5:26:02 AM PDT by Red Badger
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.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
I over 60, I no recline. Wait I do recline.
I went Cold Turkey in January on all processed foods, all refined sugar, all dairy and all red meat (actually all meat except fish). I eat tons of vegetables and fruits. I lost 35 pounds since January and went off my blood pressure meds. My A1C is normalized, my cholesterol is down 50 points and well into normal range and my kidney function has gone from stage 3 kidney failure into normal. I have not felt this good since high school.
Nothing technical about it xylitol and sorbitol are naturally occurring and can be found in many fruits. But, people do have sensitivities to lots of natural things. Both actually act as natural laxatives when consumed in, for instance, prunes.
So obvious regarding intent as to be comical.
I didn’t say I never drink Diet Coke
The headline refers to a daily use
High probability.
well if the cognitive decline gets to be too much, maybe ill go into politics
Fresca is a grapefruit flavored drink. Not good with some blood pressure meds...............
I've been drinking Diet Coke and Diet Dr. Pepper since 1989.
I'm 63 with very little health issues.... just the kind that go with age.
It's kinda like the vaping fear porn. I've been smoke-free for 13 years and have been vaping instead. I build my own coils and wick the coils myself.
I'm still here and not having the awful problems the nanny-flakes say I'm supposed to have.
I seldom touch anything with artificial sweeteners, but this article is based on a study which even the authors say that additional studies are required before declaring artificial sweeteners a direct cause of dementia or cognitive aging.
Here is a response from Gemini AI that helps to clarify:
Key Scientific Caveats (Correlation vs. Causation)
While the scientific findings are concerning and warrant further investigation, observational nutrition studies come with inherent limitations:
A. Observational Data Cannot Prove Causation
The study shows an association (correlation), not direct proof that diet drinks directly damage brain tissue.
B. Risk of “Reverse Causality” & Confounding Factors
People who drink diet soda or consume low-calorie sweeteners often do so because they are managing conditions like obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, or pre-diabetes—all of which are independent, well-established risk factors for cognitive decline and midlife brain aging. Although researchers adjusted for diabetes and demographic variables, residual confounding (unmeasured lifestyle habits, diet quality overall, or health status) can influence results.
C. Self-Reported Dietary Data
Dietary intake was measured at baseline using self-reported food questionnaires, which can introduce recall bias or miss changes in dietary habits over the subsequent eight years.
D. What the Researchers Recommend
The study authors themselves noted that these findings show a strong signal, but emphasized that replication studies (and imaging/MRI studies to observe physical brain changes) are required before declaring artificial sweeteners a direct cause of dementia or cognitive aging.
I should have said I drink less than 5 cans per week. But, yes, sometimes I don’t finish a whole can before it goes flat. I stopped drinking soda altogether for several years.
I recently switched from sodas to water with Crystal Light. The main reason was because many sodas have sodium added to them and I needed to lower my blood pressure.
Everything is an attack on President Trump.
If he drank coffee, there would be a study stating the same results.
Coke ZERO also has aspartame the same as Diet Coke.
According to my own experiences, most over achievers who own their own successful businesses, drink diet coke instead of coffee.
The mention of Dr. Pepper always reminds of a guy I knew in the Air Force. During the course of the duty day, instead of lunch, he'd finish off a six-pack of Dr. Pepper and a family sized package of Oreo double-stuffed cookies. Every single day without fail for the two years I knew him.
And he passed the PFT?.................
As a Mtn Dew drinker, I say those who choose are in Cognitive Decline choose Diet Coke.
Don’t reverse the cause and effect of the correlation.
Congratulations! Diet is definitely the key to good health and longevity.
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