Understanding Glycation and AGEs
Glycation is a biochemical process that quietly undermines skin health from within. It occurs when sugar molecules attach themselves to proteins or lipids without the help of enzymes, forming harmful compounds known as Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs). While the term might sound technical, the outcome is simple and visible: accelerated skin ageing.
AGEs stiffen and deform structural proteins like collagen and elastin, the fibres that give skin its firmness, elasticity and youthful glow. Once these proteins are glycated, they cross-link and lose their flexibility. The result is skin that appears thinner, less supple and more prone to fine lines, wrinkles and uneven tone.
For skincare professionals, understanding glycation is essential because it bridges nutrition and dermatology. It shows that ageing isnât only a matter of time and topical care but also of metabolic health and diet.
AGEs stiffen and deform structural proteins like collagen and elastin, the fibres that give skin its firmness, elasticity and youthful glow. Once these proteins are glycated, they cross-link and lose their flexibility. The result is skin that appears thinner, less supple and more prone to fine lines, wrinkles and uneven tone.
For skincare professionals, understanding glycation is essential because it bridges nutrition and dermatology. It shows that ageing isnât only a matter of time and topical care but also of metabolic health and diet.
Perhaps surprisingly, foods rich in both protein and fat,
and cooked at high heat, tend to be the richest dietary
sources of AGEs, whereas low-fat carbohydrate-rich
foods tend to be relatively low in AGEs. Conceivably,
this reflects the fact that the so-called "AGEs" in the
diet are generated primarily, not by glycation reactions,
but by interactions between oxidized lipids and protein
The Two Faces of Glycation: Endogenous and Exogenous
There are two main types of glycation that contribute to the skinâs ageing burden:
- Endogenous glycation happens inside the body when blood glucose levels remain elevated for extended periods. This internal process is largely influenced by what we eat and how our body handles sugar and fat metabolism.
- Exogenous glycation comes from outside the body, through the consumption of pre-formed AGEs present in food, especially those produced during high-heat cooking methods like grilling, frying, roasting and barbecuing.
Both forms contribute to the pool of AGEs that circulate in the bloodstream and accumulate in tissues, including the skin. Over time, this accumulation disrupts cellular communication, triggers inflammation and accelerates the visible signs of ageing.
Why Glycation Is Bad News for the Skin
The damage caused by AGEs goes far beyond wrinkles. Glycation makes collagen and elastin fibres rigid and dysfunctional. This prevents proper nutrient exchange and waste removal within the skinâs extracellular matrix. The skin becomes dull, tired-looking and more susceptible to environmental stressors.
Moreover, AGEs promote oxidative stress and inflammation, two key drivers of skin degradation. They stimulate the production of free radicals and inflammatory cytokines that impair microcirculation, deplete antioxidants and weaken the skinâs natural barrier. The cumulative effect is premature ageing from the inside out.
AGEs can also increase the activity of enzymes known as Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs), which break down collagen and elastin. These enzymes are naturally present in the skin but become overactive under inflammatory or oxidative conditions. The result: faster collagen loss and slower repair.
AGEs can also increase the activity of enzymes known as Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs), which break down collagen and elastin. These enzymes are naturally present in the skin but become overactive under inflammatory or oxidative conditions. The result: faster collagen loss and slower repair.
How Glycation Shows Up on the Skin
From a practitionerâs perspective, the signs of glycation-related ageing can be quite distinct. The skin often looks sallow or yellowish due to impaired collagen turnover. Brown âage spotsâ (lipofuscin deposits) may appear as waste products build up in the dermis. The texture becomes uneven and elasticity diminishes.
Clients might also complain that their skin feels dry or âtiredâ even when they maintain a good skincare routine. In these cases, topical interventions alone rarely restore full vitality because the root issue lies deeper, in systemic metabolic imbalance and cumulative AGE exposure.
Clients might also complain that their skin feels dry or âtiredâ even when they maintain a good skincare routine. In these cases, topical interventions alone rarely restore full vitality because the root issue lies deeper, in systemic metabolic imbalance and cumulative AGE exposure.
... dietary AGEs present in food commonly
consumed in a 'western-style' diet, contribute
significantly to the body's AGE pool. Moreover,
these diet-derived AGEs have a significant
association with indicators of inflammation in
healthy subjects
The Dietary Link: Sugar and Fat in Focus
The mainstream narrative often blames sugar alone for glycation. While excessive refined sugar certainly contributes to high blood glucose, the bigger culprit is dietary fat, particularly saturated fat. High levels of circulating fatty acids interfere with insulin function, preventing glucose from entering cells efficiently. This leads to persistent hyperglycaemia, the state where glycation thrives.
Meals rich in fat and protein require far more insulin to stabilise blood sugar levels. When this system becomes overburdened, insulin resistance develops. The pancreas compensates by producing even more insulin, but the glucose remains in the bloodstream, continuing to fuel AGE formation.
In short, the âsugar equals wrinklesâ story is incomplete. Itâs the combination of high fat intake and poor blood sugar control that sets the stage for glycation and accelerated ageing.
Meals rich in fat and protein require far more insulin to stabilise blood sugar levels. When this system becomes overburdened, insulin resistance develops. The pancreas compensates by producing even more insulin, but the glucose remains in the bloodstream, continuing to fuel AGE formation.
In short, the âsugar equals wrinklesâ story is incomplete. Itâs the combination of high fat intake and poor blood sugar control that sets the stage for glycation and accelerated ageing.
The Role of Cooking Methods
AGE formation doesnât only happen inside the body. It also occurs in the pan and oven. The Maillard reaction, the same process that gives browned food its flavour, is a visible form of glycation. When fats and proteins are exposed to high heat, they form AGEs that transfer directly to the body when consumed.
Cooking methods that involve dry heat and high fat (like frying, grilling and roasting) dramatically increase dietary AGEs. In contrast, wet, low-heat methods such as steaming, boiling, or poaching produce minimal glycation. For practitioners advising clients, recommending gentler cooking techniques is a simple yet effective anti-ageing strategy.
The Maillard reaction, starting from the glycation of
protein and progressing to the formation of advanced
glycation end-products (AGEs), is implicated in the
development of complications of diabetes mellitus, as
well as in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular, renal,
and neurodegenerative diseases.
The Plant-Based Advantage
A wholefood, plant-based diet offers a double advantage in combating glycation. First, plant foods are naturally low in fat and free of the saturated fats that promote insulin resistance. Second, they are rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals that inhibit AGE formation and neutralise oxidative damage.
Fruits, vegetables, legumes and gluten-free whole grains supply vitamins C and B3, polyphenols like quercitrin, rutin and EGCG (from green tea) and compounds such as curcumin and alpha-lipoic acid. These nutrients not only reduce AGE formation but can also help to break existing cross-links between glycated proteins.
A diet centred around fresh, unprocessed plant foods supports stable blood sugar levels and provides the antioxidant network required to maintain youthful skin from within.
Fruits, vegetables, legumes and gluten-free whole grains supply vitamins C and B3, polyphenols like quercitrin, rutin and EGCG (from green tea) and compounds such as curcumin and alpha-lipoic acid. These nutrients not only reduce AGE formation but can also help to break existing cross-links between glycated proteins.
A diet centred around fresh, unprocessed plant foods supports stable blood sugar levels and provides the antioxidant network required to maintain youthful skin from within.
Professional Insights for Skincare Practitioners
For skincare professionals and educators, understanding glycation provides an opportunity to bridge topical care with nutritional education. Incorporating anti-glycation guidance into client consultations can elevate results and strengthen professional credibility.
Key takeaways for practice:
Key takeaways for practice:
- Promote a low-fat, wholefood plant-based diet to reduce both endogenous and exogenous AGEs.
- Encourage clients to avoid frequent high-heat cooking and processed foods.
- Integrate antioxidant-rich botanicals in both diet and skincare formulations.
- Educate clients on how blood sugar balance equals collagen protection.
Conclusion
Glycation represents one of the most overlooked yet powerful factors in skin ageing. By understanding its biochemical roots and dietary influences, skincare professionals can take a more holistic approach â helping clients preserve collagen integrity and achieve visible, lasting results.
True skin youthfulness isnât only preserved in a serum bottle. Itâs cultivated daily, one meal and one choice at a time.
Continue your professional learning.Explore the Skin Nutrition Science Glossary, a growing resource designed for practitioners in aesthetics, nutrition and wellness science.
Article by Star Khechara
Professional agehacker, author, speaker, founder of skin nutrition institute
About me
Ex-skincare formulator and beauty author turned skin-nutrition educator: Star distilled her 20+ years of skin-health knowledge into the worldâs first international accredited skin-nutrition school to teach skin therapists, facialists, face yoga practitioners and estheticians how to help their clients feed the skin from within for cellular-level rejuvenation and vibrant beauty.
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