Does sugar cause premature aging?

Aging is a natural process, but it just so happens we all grow older and wiser. It is not news that our skin shows signs of aging and we lose collagen. While we continue to learn and understand the factors and offenders that age the face and body, sugar may be one of the worst. Sure sugar is sweet and tastes like a treat, but does it accelerate the aging process both internally and externally?

Through science, it was discovered that sugar damages the skin through a natural process called glycation. Glycation is normal and happens to all of us, and is happening at this very second. However, the physical signs of this process typically do not appear until about 30 years of age. When you have sugar molecules in the system, they bombard the cells in your body and mature onto fats and proteins. This breaks down protein fibers and leads them to become stiff and deformed. Unfortunately the proteins in the skin that are most vulnerable to glycation are the ones that give us our youthful appearance.

Sugar has been found to damage collagen and elastin in the skin. The abundance of collagen and elastin are what keep the skin youthful. These proteins are responsible for a healthy plump appearance. Sugar also has an effect on the body's natural antioxidants. You can read more about antioxidants and the relationship between them and the skin here. To put it simply, antioxidants protect the skin from UV rays, blue light, and other environmental factors. Sugar deactivates the natural and essential protective antioxidants in the skin. 

Though it may seem difficult to cut back on sugar, here are a few tips that can help you manage your daily intake. Read the ingredient labels and look out for words such as barley malt, honey, and fruit juice concentrate which all contain sugar. It is also important to stay hydrated as water is essential for the production of collagen. Lastly, incorporate antioxidants in your diet as they have benefits in the aging process as well as improve overall health.

It is never too late to start removing sugar from your diet, as it contributes to your risk for developing chronic diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, dementia, cancer and more. Sugar causes cross linking of collagen, resulting in stiffening and loss of elasticity of our skin. The more sugar we consume, the more our skin starts to suffer. Along with sun damage, environmental stress and hormonal changes, sugar adds to this perfect storm and exhibits the wear and tear our skin has gone through.