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 ...
Wait what?
(I do not consume diet soda. I do not consume any soda).
Sadly Dr Pepper Zero Sugar is sweetened with a combination of aspartame and acesulfame potassium (Ace-K).
Not sure I can give it up.
Most of these artificial sweeteners are bad news, either for your heart or your brain, and probably for your pancreas as well, since “it’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.”
Is this to attack Trump ?
So I’m okay with Splenda? :-)
Me either, but I just started drink it instead of regular Dr Pepper. Have been drinking Dr Pepper all my life and I’m 71...............
I don’t drink diet coke.
Do I ?
I’ll give up my Diet Coke when they... when they ... do something.
“ The study’s newest findings present a concerning link between low- and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS) used in diet drinks and accelerated cognitive decline.”
Well, they’re not food. Why would anyone consume them?
of course it is
Constant conjunction is not causality. Perhaps it a particular type of person who drinks diet coke regularly.
Of course, it is possible that trailer parks cause smoking and tornadoes.....
Yes—thanks for the clarification.
This is probably also fake news.
If it’s that bad for you then you might as well have a non-diet Coke and never switch back...or try a Vernors!
But you won’t remember to buy more pretty soon ;-)
Dark humor.
Cherry Coke Zero is my weakness.
Is it aspartame or specifically diet coke?
I’ve seen enough anecdotal evidence for this to believe it’s true. This is why I ONLY drink Coke ZERO or cane sugar Coke.
So is this 2 ounces per day or 2 liters? Kinda worthless without.
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