You age as you eat – Study shows link between sugars and aging

The research found that everyday foodstuffs we consume that are, grilled, fried, toasted and roasted, such as crusted breads, broiled chicken, grilled salmon, and coffee all produce high levels of sugars, such as fructose or glucose, which can affect proteins like collagen and elastin; which are the same ones that make a youthful appearance.

Scientists from cosmeceuticals company San Medica looked at glycation and glycotoxins (byproducts of sugar metabolism) and how they produce wrinkles on the skin.

The science​

Glycation (or glycosylation) is the result of typically covalent bonding of a protein or lipid molecule with a sugar molecule,without the controlling action of an enzyme, which forms Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs), which cause protein fibers to become stiff and malformed.

When those proteins hook up with renegade sugars, they become discolored, weak, and less supple; and this shows up on the skin's surface as wrinkles and a loss of radiance.

"When you're in your teens and twenties, you can eat almost anything and get away with it,"​ explains San­Medica International's Dr Amy Heaton, PhD.

"But as you age, your body is no longer in its peak collagen- and elastin-producing years and suffers more from the visible effects of glycation damage (wrinkles and saggy skin)."​

The solution​

Clearly, it is impossible to stop eating, but San Medica claims something can be done about this and has developed a products using the compound Theraglycan-3; the first topically applied anti-glycation, "anti-aging" compound, tested to reduce actual AGE content in human skin.

The AGE-re­ducing effects were validated using a highly formularized equation based on measure­ments taken by a research instrument that uses autofluores­cence to measure AGEs present in the skin)

In the studies, women used a Theraglycan-3 cream twice a day (a 2 percent ‘day’ cream and a 4 percent concentrated ‘night’ cream., with results showing an 8-10 year differential based on actual AGEs remaining on the skin's surface.