How Glycation Ages You: The Cellular Science of Youth

Impacts on Skin Barrier, Melanin, and Fibroblasts

Glycation profoundly affects various components of the skin, compromising its structure, function, and appearance. 

Glycation impacts the dermal fibroblasts, the key cells responsible for producing collagen and elastin. When fibroblasts are exposed to advanced glycation end products (AGEs), their ability to regenerate, create collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid is impacted. This also impairs the skin’s ability to repair tissue and contributes to slower wound healing, visible fine lines, reduced elasticity and reduced skin regeneration. 

At the skin barrier, glycation also weakens keratinocyte cells by altering their keratin protein structure, leading to a compromised epidermis. This makes the skin more prone to dryness, sensitivity, and environmental damage, as the barrier's integrity is reduced. 

Glycation’s influence extends to melanin, the pigment responsible for skin tone. By disrupting the enzymes involved in melanin synthesis, glycation can lead to uneven pigment production, manifesting as hyperpigmentation, age spots, or an overall dull complexion. Additionally, glycation-induced oxidative stress further exacerbates pigmentation irregularities.

Finally, glycation affects the structural proteins within keratinocytes, compromising their functionality. This disruption not only weakens the skin barrier but also makes the cells more vulnerable to oxidative stress and inflammation. Together, these effects accelerate visible signs of ageing and impair the skin's ability to protect itself from environmental stressors, reinforcing the need for proactive measures to counteract glycation.

Impacts on Organ and Bodily Health

Glycation extends beyond its effects on the skin, profoundly influencing the health of organs and bodily systems. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) accumulate in tissues with slow turnover, such as blood vessels, kidneys, and the nervous system, disrupting their normal function. 

In the cardiovascular system, glycation stiffens elastin and collagen in arterial walls, reducing strength and elasticity and leading to hypertension and atherosclerosis. AGEs also oxidise low-density lipoproteins (LDL), promoting inflammation and plaque formation, which increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. 

In the kidneys, glycation disrupts the glomerular filtration barrier by cross-linking extracellular matrix proteins, impairing filtration and promoting proteinuria—a hallmark of chronic kidney disease. This damage is exacerbated by AGE-induced oxidative stress and inflammation, accelerating renal failure.

In the nervous system, glycation contributes to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. AGEs interact with tau proteins and amyloid-beta peptides, forming toxic aggregates that disrupt neuronal function and induce apoptosis. AGE accumulation also triggers oxidative stress in the brain, amplifying inflammation and neuronal degeneration. 

In the musculoskeletal system, glycation weakens bone by cross-linking collagen, reducing its flexibility and impairing bone mineral density. This increases the risk of fractures and conditions such as osteoporosis. 

Furthermore, glycation influences metabolic health by exacerbating insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes. Elevated blood glucose levels create a vicious cycle, as hyperglycaemia accelerates AGE formation, further damaging pancreatic beta cells and impairing insulin secretion.

Overall, glycation-induced damage manifests in systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, and compromised cellular function, affecting critical organs and accelerating ageing throughout the body. These widespread impacts highlight the importance of strategies to mitigate AGE formation and accumulation for maintaining overall health and vitality.

How Does Glycation Cause Ageing?

AGEs disrupt the normal function of cellular components, accelerating ageing at a molecular level. Their effects include:

• Oxidative Stress: AGEs generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which further damage proteins, lipids, and DNA. This oxidative damage contributes to chronic inflammation and tissue degeneration.
• Inflammation: AGEs activate receptors called RAGEs (Receptors for Advanced Glycation End Products), triggering inflammatory pathways. Chronic inflammation weakens cellular repair mechanisms, speeding up ageing.
• Tissue Stiffness: Cross-linking of AGEs with extracellular matrix proteins like collagen and elastin stiffens tissues, reducing their structural support and functionality.

In addition to skin, glycation impacts vascular health, organ function, and even neurological processes.

Can Glycation Be Reversed?

While reversing glycation completely is challenging, there are strategies to mitigate its effects:

1. Breaking Cross-Links: Certain compounds, such as aminoguanidine and alagebrium, show promise in breaking AGE cross-links. However, their clinical application is still under research.
2. Reducing AGE Accumulation: Antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents can slow down the formation and build-up of AGEs.
3. Dietary Adjustments: Avoiding AGE-rich foods (e.g. refined sugar, excess carbohydrates which are ultimately converted to glucose, processed and chargrilled items) can reduce exogenous glycation sources.

Diet and Glycation 

Not all foods contribute equally to glycation when cooked at high temperatures. Foods rich in protein, fat, and sugars are particularly prone to forming advanced glycation end products (AGEs) during high-temperature cooking methods such as frying, grilling, broiling, or roasting. This is because the browning ‘Maillard reaction’—a chemical reaction between amino acids (from proteins) and reducing sugars—occurs more readily under such conditions.

Foods Most Likely to Cause Glycation:

1. Meats: Red meat, poultry, and processed meats (like bacon and sausages) are high in both proteins and fats, making them particularly susceptible to AGE formation during high-heat cooking.
2. Cheese: Cheeses, especially hard varieties, are AGE-rich due to their high protein and fat content.
3. Fats and Oils: Butter, margarine, and other fats subjected to frying or baking contribute significantly to dietary AGEs.
4. Sugary Foods Containing Glucose or Fructose: Baked goods such as cakes, cookies, and pastries are high in both sugars and fats, which react during baking to produce large amounts of AGEs.
5. Processed and Packaged Foods: Pre-prepared and fried snacks like potato chips and crisps often contain high levels of AGEs due to their processing methods.
6. Animal-Derived Foods: Foods like eggs and fish, when exposed to dry heat, can also form significant levels of AGEs.

Foods with Lower AGE Formation: Conversely, foods with higher water content or those cooked using gentler methods (like boiling, steaming, or poaching) tend to form fewer AGEs. For example:

• Vegetables and low fructose fruits (strawberries and blueberries) are naturally low in AGEs and less likely to form them during cooking.
• Whole grains and legumes, especially when cooked in water, are also low contributors.

How to Prevent Glycation?

Prevention is key to minimising the effects of glycation on the body. Here’s how you can take proactive measures:

Focus on a Low-Sugar Diet

Reducing sugar intake helps lower the availability of sugars (particularly glucose and fructose) that contribute to glycation. Incorporate whole, unprocessed foods like low fructose fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains into your diet.

Incorporate Antioxidants

Antioxidants neutralise ROS, reducing oxidative stress and slowing AGE formation. Key sources include:

• Vitamin C (berries, capsicum, broccoli, sprouts, kale)
• Vitamin E (nuts, seeds)
• Polyphenols (green tea, sugar free dark chocolate)

Maintain a Regular Exercise Routine

Even moderate exercise improves glycaemic control and boosts the body's antioxidant defences, preventing glycation-induced damage.

Consider Targeted ingredients in Skincare and Supplements

Niacinamide and NR (nicotinamide riboside) supplements found in NRgize+ from SynTernals offer compounds known to combat glycation at the cellular level via mitochondrial optimisation. Antioxidants such as quercetin and resveratrol also reverse the impact of AGEs. Omega 3 fatty acids, particularly from algal vegan sources, such as that found in SynTernals AlgOmega-3 will help to mitigate the inflammation associated with AGE’s. Collagen peptides will also indirectly reduce AGE’s by increasing the activity of fibroblasts and by increasing collagen production that may be impacted through AGE damage.

In terms of skincare, antioxidants, niacinamide, retinoids, mineral sunscreens and vitamin c will all help to reduce the impact of AGEs. Carnosine dipeptide found in PressPause directly interferes with the glycation process by protecting the skin proteins such as collagen, elastin and keratin.

Look for targeted  ingredients in both supplements and skincare that inhibit AGE formation, promote cellular repair, reduce inflammation and enhance metabolic efficiency.

Test for Glycation Levels

A glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) test measures the percentage of haemoglobin bound to glucose, reflecting average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. It is a key diagnostic tool for detected glycated haemoglobin, which can be useful in managing diabetes and understanding glycation levels in the body.

How to Slow Down Glycation?

Slowing glycation involves a holistic approach:

1. Manage Stress: Chronic stress elevates cortisol and blood sugar levels, increasing glycation risk. Practices like meditation and yoga can help.
2. Improve Sleep Quality: Sleep is crucial for cellular repair and reducing oxidative stress.
3. Sun Protection: UV rays exacerbate glycation. Always wear sunscreen and limit prolonged direct sun exposure.
4. Hydration: Proper hydration supports cellular function and helps flush toxins from the body.
5. Optimise Nutrition and Supplement if needed.

How to Stop Glycation?

While glycation cannot be entirely stopped, it can be managed effectively with the right interventions:

• Dietary Measures: Limit fried, grilled, sugary or processed foods that are high in AGEs.
• Lifestyle Adjustments: Engage in regular physical activity and adopt stress-reducing practices.
• Topical Treatments: Look for skincare products enriched with antioxidants and anti-glycation ingredients like green tea, lycopene, CoQ10, niacinamide, retinoids, vitamin C and carnosine dipeptide in PressPause.

How to Treat Glycation?

Treatment focuses on mitigating damage and enhancing skin and cellular health:

1. Advanced Skincare: Products targeting glycation such as PressPause can help restore skin firmness, elasticity and reduce discolouration.
2. Clinical Treatment Interventions: Procedures like laser therapy, exosome therapy and microneedling stimulate collagen production, countering the structural damage caused by AGEs.
3. Long-Term Supplements: Nutrition alone may not be sufficient. Supplements that combat oxidative stress and inflammation can provide sustained benefits over time.

The Role of SynTernals in Combating Glycation

SynTernals’ science-backed approach integrates advanced formulations designed to target glycation at its root. Our NRgize+ and AlgOmega-3 supplements supports cellular repair, strengthens mitochondria, addresses cellular inflammation and reduces AGE accumulation. By empowering the body’s natural defences, these supplements offer a proactive way to combat the effects of glycation.

Conclusion

Glycation is a natural but manageable process that significantly impacts ageing and overall health. By understanding the cellular mechanisms behind glycation and adopting lifestyle changes, dietary adjustments, and targeted supplementation, you can slow its effects and maintain your greatest vitality. It’s never too late to make positive changes.

References

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