How Sugar Causes Wrinkles and Accelerates Aging

There are literally hundreds of reasons to avoid sugar. Sugar eaten regularly can inflict more damage on your body than almost any other substance. Millions of people know they shouldn’t eat it, but still do, because of its highly addictive properties.

Sugar (specifically fructose), is an enemy to your skin.  It causes a condition called “glycation”.  This is a process in which the sugar in your bloodstream attaches to proteins forming harmful new molecules called “advanced glycation end product” or AGEs.  Now that is a pretty easy acronym to remember, isn’t it? Fructose  and sugars cause inflammation which then creates AGEs and speeds up the aging process.

AGEs can affect all organs and tissues in the body.  When they affect the skin, they cause premature aging. AGEs attached to proteins.  Collagen and elastin are proteins which are very important for firm and elastic skin so when sugar molecules attached to them, the result is a loss of elasticity. By the time we hit our 30’s, our collagen and elastin regeneration is already slowing down. AGEs will prevent the collagen and elastin from repairing themselves which worsens the situation.  High blood sugar levels speed up the rate of glycation and the result is wrinkles and dry, unhealthy skin. You must also avoid processed foods like refined carbohydrates that turn to sugar in your body. Love fruit?  That is fine in moderation.  There are a lot of healthy nutrients in fruit. But make sure to eat the whole fruit with the fiber.

AGEs Promote Fat Accumulation

AGEs also promotes dangerous growth of fat cells around your vital organs. According to Dr. Richard Johnson, author of the book “The Fat Switch”, fructose causes the body to accumulate fat. Low fat diets are dangerous.  If a person does not get enough healthy fat they will start to eat more carbohydrates – usually the kind that raises blood sugar levels such as starches and sweet treats.

Sugar is causing obesity, not fat.  More and more evidence has been surfacing in recent years to indicate that a healthy diet consists of protein, fat, non-starchy vegetables and small amounts of fruit.  According to many medical professionals, a very low carb diet is extremely beneficial for a person.  Diabetes, hypertension and many health conditions can be completely cured once the diet has been changed to a low carb one.

Diabetes and Heart Disease

The growth of fat cells around your vital organs are indications of future degenerative conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Sugar and fructose increases your insulin and leptin (hormone in the body that controls hunger and satiety) levels and decreases the sensitivity of the receptors for these crucial hormones.  The result is excess insulin and leptin in the body which  causes obesity and diabetes.

Whether you want to avoid wrinkles, fat or degenerative diseases, eliminating sugars from your diet is the key to your success. We know it isn’t going to be easy.  Sugar may be the most addictive substance on the planet.  Stop eating it!

To your Health!

Peter Gillham