The highest sweetener intake was linked to 62% faster memory and thinking decline, but the study did not prove cause and effect. ScienceDaily reported findings from a study of nearly 13,000 adults. Researchers looked at sugar substitute intake and changes in memory and thinking skills. Six common sweeteners were linked to faster decline. The supplied report does not name them or give intake amounts. The reported difference was compared with about 1.6 extra years of brain aging. That estimate came from changes in test scores. It was not a direct measure of how much brains had aged. The 62% figure describes the speed of decline, not losing 62% of memory. Age also mattered. Among adults younger than 60, higher intake was linked to faster declines in word skills and overall thinking. Researchers did not find a similar link among adults older than 60. These results do not mean everyone who uses sweeteners will experience decline. They also do not show that cutting sweeteners improves memory. For our Memory Problems / Poor Recall community, this offers a useful tracking question—not a clear answer about any one person's habits. A food log could record sweetener names and daily servings alongside recall ratings. Using the same rating scale each time could make notes easier to compare. Those records would describe personal patterns, not prove what caused them. Sharing those details with the community could make comparisons more useful than simply saying “I use sweeteners.” What have you noticed about your sweetener habits and recall over time, if you track both?