I stumbled upon this while looking for new papers on AGEs. Sadly, I didn’t have access to the full paper. Big Sad face. :-( Despite the lack of details, I thought y’all needed to be aware anywho. I’ve been paranoid of sugar for a while now, and this doesn’t really calm my nerves any. Sugar just seems more and more evil the more I learn. Low sugar for the win!

Nutrition and aging skin: sugar and glycation.

Abstract:

The effect of sugars on aging skin is governed by the simple act of covalently cross-linking two collagen fibers, which renders both of them incapable of easy repair. Glucose and fructose link the amino acids present in the collagen and elastin that support the dermis, producing advanced glycation end products or “AGEs.” This process is accelerated in all body tissues when sugar is elevated and is further stimulated by ultraviolet light in the skin. The effect on vascular, renal, retinal, coronary, and cutaneous tissues is being defined, as are methods of reducing the glycation load through careful diet and use of supplements.