Skin damage and imperfections as a result of external factors like smoking, exposure to ultraviolet rays, and free radicals is well-documented. Less well-known is an internal agent of skin damage: glucose. According to Skin Care, chronic overexposure to glucose can potentially harm the skin.
The Facts
Usable by virtually all tissues and organs of the human body, glucose is a vital cellular fuel and the central nervous system's preferred source of energy, according to the Skin Care website. However, as reported by Life Extension magazine, too much glucose can react with collagen and elastin, the skin's major proteins, and lead to poor skin texture, skin impurities, dryness, looseness, and premature aging.
Glycation
CNN described this reaction, glycation, in an article titled "Is Your Skin Singing the Sugar Blues?" Glycation happens when glucose enters the bloodstream, bonds with proteins and creates new molecules, known as advanced glycation-end products, or AGEs. As AGEs multiply, they can initiate skin inflammation and render skin proteins nonfunctional, warns author and doctor Peter T. Pugliese.
Significance
Skin structure is complex. Once glycation occurs, none of the body's naturally occurring enzymes can break the bond. Accelerated aging, yellowing, stiffness of the skin, and decreased circulation in the skin can be the result, Pugliese says.
Prevention/Solution
Some simple and effective measures can be taken to address glucose-related skin damage. Reducing total calories and avoiding sugary foods, foods cooked at high temperatures, and processed foods will all help ease the stress on the skin, says Pugliese. He recommends supplements such as aminoguanidine, while CNN recommends Vitamin C and zinc. Life Extension points to super foods like blueberries and pomegranates, as well as tea extracts, to support the skin with powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Warnings
As mentioned in the July 2009 issue of the Nutrition Action Healthletter, our skin can define our attractiveness, and because skin damage can cause vulnerability, scam artists proliferate in the skin care market. If a skin cream sounds too good to be true, it is. Stick with the basics: healthful eating, exercise, plenty of water and common sense.
Aminoguanidine can inhibit the uptake of vitamin B-6. Always consult your physician before taking any supplements.
References
- Skin Care: Skin Collagen is Key
- "Life Extension"; Prevent Glycation-Induced Skin Aging with Topical Nutrients; Gary Goldfaden, Robert Goldfaden; November 2009
- CNN: Is Your Skin Singing the Sugar Blues?
- Physiology of the Skin: The Impact of Glycation on the Skin Part 2
- "Nutrition Action Healthletter"; The Skinny on Skin; David Schardt; July 2009
