One of the first things weight watching Australians do is attempt to limit their intake of sugar, but did you know there is another very good reason to limit the amount of sugar you consume? According to many researchers, sugar consumption leads to a skin damaging chain reaction that prematurely ages skin. One recent study conducted by researchers at the Netherlands' Leiden University, focused on the visible signs of aging caused by sugar rather than the biological facts.
The research group, headed by Diana van Heemst, selected 602 volunteers and divided them into 4 groups. 33 individuals with diabetes had the highest levels of blood glucose while the remaining 569 healthy participants were tested for concentrations of blood glucose after eating and divided into low, medium and concentration groups. All participants were then photographed and a group of 60 independent observers were asked to guess their ages. The perceived ages of the volunteers had a direct correlation with their glucose levels, with an average of 5 months greater age attributed to each 0.18 gram increase in glucose per litre of blood, according to results published in a recent New Scientist article.
How Does Sugar Equal Prematurely Aged Skin?
The culprit is a natural process called glycation. When sugar enters the bloodstream, it attaches to proteins and begins to form molecules known as advanced glycation end products (or, aptly enough, (AGEs). These molecules wreak havoc on the two proteins that are most responsible for maintaining skin elasticity and firmness: collagen and elastin. While the skin aging process is natural and begins at around the age of 35, the intake of sugar and the production of AGEs rapidly accelerates the aging process.
There are three types of collagen that contribute to skin health. As if it had an aging agenda, glycation actually targets type III collagen, which is the longest lasting and most stable and converts it into the most fragile type I collagen. To make matters worse, AGEs leave the skin more vulnerable to sun damage by deactivating the antioxidant enzymes in the body.
How Much Sugar is Too Much Sugar?
The amount of sugar the average person consumes has increased stratospherically over the past 20 years. According to some sources, in the United States, sugar consumption has increased fivefold since the 1980s and Australians show similar increases. This is partly because sugar is an ingredient in almost all processed foods, including many that have a savoury taste, and partly because we have become accustomed to the excessive sweetness of sugar and no longer appreciate the subtle natural sweetness of fruits and other unrefined natural foods.
While many researchers advise completely eliminating refined sugar from your diet, a more moderate approach can make a dramatic difference. As the Leiden University study shows, the less sugar that is consumed, the less AGEs are produced and the less damage is done to your skin. How much sugar is too much sugar for you? If each .18 gram per litre of blood equals 5 months greater age, it all depends on how much older you want to appear.
Originally published on Jan 06, 2012
