Sugar and aging: Will excessive sugar intake age your skin?
Key Takeaways
Short answer: Yes
Every glucose spike leads to glycation (the aging process of our body). Glycation leads to many age-related issues.
The skin is often subject to internal causative factors of aging which includes glycation, excessive production of free radicals and oxidative stress.
When glycation happens, the proteins and lipids involved in the glycation process become damaged, and thus are unable to perform their normal functions as well as they should.
When sugar molecules attach to collagen and elastin proteins in the skin, the collagen and elastic proteins are damaged and thus unable to properly support the structure of the skin. This leads to wrinkles, loss of elasticity and dryness – all of which are characteristics of aging skin.
Short answer: Yes, excessive sugar intake will age your skin.
The importance of balanced glucose levels
In our previous article, we have highlighted the importance of balancing our glucose levels. Why is this so?
Blood sugar or glucose comes from the food we eat and it is also produced by our liver. Glucose is the main source of energy for the body’s cells and is transported through the bloodstream.
Here are some of the things that happen when there is a glucose spike:
When our blood sugar spikes, our mitochondria become overwhelmed and start producing chemicals called free radicals. Free radicals are harmful for our cells and mutate our DNA.
Glucose spikes lead to oxidative stress and inflammation. Inflammation is the root cause of most diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis and joint diseases, allergies, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), among others.
Elevated glucose levels as a result of high-carb meals causes the “post-meal slump” or extreme tiredness after a meal. The body releases insulin to lower your blood sugar, which then causes the feeling of tiredness.
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) has been associated with "nervousness", while hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) with "anger or sadness". Sugar fluctuations impact your mood, and ultimately your quality of life.
With every glucose spike, insulin gets released. The excess glucose gets stored in our liver, muscles, and fat cells. A study has shown that adverse consequences currently attributed to obesity could be attributed to hyperinsulinemia or unhealthy high amounts of insulin in the blood – this could be one of the reasons we gain fat.
Every glucose spike leads to glycation (the aging process of our body). Glycation leads to many age-related issues. When we slow down glycation, we live a longer, healthier life.
But why does glycation (or aging happen) when our glucose spikes? For us to understand this, we need to take a closer look at glycation and aging.
What is Glycation (Aging)?
Aging is the deterioration of the body’s physiological functions over a period of time. Accumulation of cellular damaged products over time is the leading cause of aging. Several age-related deterioration are attributed to protein degradation which are all characteristics of “glycation stress”.
Glycation is a naturally occurring chemical reaction that leads sugar molecules such as glucose to bind to proteins and lipids throughout the body. The rearrangement reactions result in the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs).
The skin, which is the body’s largest organ, and the outermost covering of the body, is often subject to internal (excessive production of free radicals, oxidative stress, and glycation, among others) and external causative factors of aging.
When glycation happens, the proteins and lipids involved in the glycation process become damaged, and thus are unable to perform their normal functions as well as they should. For example, when sugar molecules attach to collagen and elastin proteins in the skin, the collagen and elastic proteins are damaged and thus unable to properly support the structure of the skin, which leads to wrinkles and other characteristic features of skin aging such as loss of elasticity, dryness, and reduced skin thickness, among others.
Meanwhile, the external factors that contribute to skin aging include:
UV exposure
Sunlight
Chemicals
Pollutants
Smoking
The link between sugar and glycation
But what is the link between sugar and glycation and why is balancing our blood sugar levels important if we want to achieve a more youthful skin?
High levels of glycation are harmful to the skin
Each blood glucose spike leads to glycation. With glycation, elevated levels of sugar can attach to proteins in the skin to form the harmful molecules (AGEs). While some amount of glycation will naturally occur throughout the body, extremely high levels of AGEs caused by excessive glycation can wreak havoc on the skin.
Collagen repair impairment leads to sagging and wrinkling
The collagen and elastin fibers are the proteins in the skin that are most impacted by AGEs. The process of glycation results in cross-linking of these fibers, leading them to be less resilient and less elastic. This is because our bodies lose the ability to repair collagen that has been glycated. In turn, loss of skin elasticity accelerates sagging and wrinkling – the indicative characteristics of aging skin.
Stopping sugar spikes can help reduce glycation and mitigate its negative effects, therefore protecting collagen and slowing down skin aging.
If you’re concerned about the sugar you are consuming, you can seek the advice of a professional. They can recommend some lifestyle changes and tips to help cut down your sugar intake and balance your glucose levels. NOVI can help you take the first step to understand what is affecting your glucose and take steps to make sustained improvements through our NOVI Glucose Optimization Program.
The link between sugar and acne
While we are on the topic of the effects of sugar on the skin – let’s also take a look at the link between sugar and other skin conditions.
Glycation has also been found to activate inflammatory pathways throughout the body. This results in worsened inflammatory skin conditions such as acne and eczema.
Insulin-like growth factor 1 and acne
Acne is caused by many factors, including increased sebum secretion and inflammation, among others.
Diet is also considered to be one of the main factors of acne. Studies have shown that high glycemic load has been linked to an increase in the concentration of IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1). A study has also shown that there is a connection between the level of IGF-1 and acne severity. Meanwhile, another study has shown that a low glycemic diet can help in the treatment of acne.
In a nutshell, studies have found that elevated blood sugar levels translate to high IGF-1 (among other hormones). High IGF-1 levels influence acne in adult men and women.
What is a low glycemic diet?
A low glycemic diet references the glycemic index to determine which foods are less likely to increase your blood sugar levels significantly. The Glycemic Index uses a scale from 1 to 100 to rank carbohydrate foods based on how quickly and how much they can spike your blood sugar after consuming.
What should your normal glucose range be, as an individual without diabetes?
“Normal” blood glucose level refers to the blood sugar quantity in the majority (95%) of healthy individuals.
Table 1: Reference ranges for fasting and post-meal blood glucose levels
| Fasting Blood Glucose Levels | 2-hr Post Meal Glucose Levels | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | <5.6 mmol/L (<100 mg/dL) |
3.8 to 7.7 mmol/L (70 to 139 mg/dL) |
| Pre-diabetes | 5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L (100 to 125 mg/dL) |
7.8 to 11.1 mmol/L (140 to 200 mg/dL) |
| Diabetes | ≥7.0 mmol/L (≥125 mg/dL) | ≥11.1 mmol/L (≥200 mg/dL) |
It is important to note that, “normal” does not necessarily mean that the range is optimal. The glucose cut-offs outlined in the table are used as cut-offs for diagnosis of diabetes. Studies in healthy populations indicate that the average glucose levels are lower than the targets set by most guidelines, and that increases in fasting blood glucose levels can increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease complications.
The “Optimal” Glucose level is the more stringent target, for healthy individuals to strive for – for better metabolic health. Read more about the Optimal glucose level here.
Balance your blood glucose levels for better skin
Balancing your glucose is critical to healthier skin and living a healthy life. NOVI can help optimize your health with the NOVI Glucose Optimization Program for $199. This price already includes:
An initial assessment by a dedicated dietitian. You will have an initial consultation with your dietitian to better understand your health status, background, and health goals for a personalized plan.
Understand your body. Through the use of your CGM and by logging your food and physical activity, we will translate these data into actionable steps for you. This will give you a better idea of how your body responds to certain foods.
Remote coaching for 2 weeks. Your coach will check-in with you regularly for 2 weeks. They will be just a text message away, keeping you motivated and answering all your questions.
End of program review. At the end of your coaching, you’ll have a better understanding of your body and how it responds to diet and exercise. You can keep these healthy habits for life, even after the program.