Hold The Sugar Please

Many of us are aware that excess amounts of sugar is detrimental to our health. We know if effects us internally, but what about externally, more specifically our skin?

Many would be surprised to find out that sugar is a HUGE contributor to our skin health. This is due to a natural occurring process known as glycation. When there is too much sugar in your body, the sugar molecules in your blood system cross-link with the protein molecules and form harmful new molecules called advanced glycation end products (AGEs for short). AGEs is not recognizable to the human body and the body will begin to produce antibodies which cause inflammation to the skin.

Any sign of inflammation will cause breakouts, especially if you're prone to acne. The more sugar you eat, the more AGEs you will develop. The inflammatory properties in sugar do not only lead to breakouts, but also to wrinkles. Once formed, AGEs will move towards the dermal collagen and elastin, which is the most vulnerable to damage being that they are the protein fibers that keep skin firm and elastic.

Collagen is one of the most prevalent proteins in the body. Once damaged, collagen and elastin become dry and brittle, leading to wrinkles and sagging. AGEs also inhibits your body's natural antioxidant enzymes, which makes you more vulnerable to sun damage - which is still the main aging component.

The aging effects of AGEs start at about 35 and increase quickly after that. Sugar dehydrates by eating the collagen on a cellular level which leads to dull-looking, dehydrated skin. It dehydrates your skin cells which also leads to dryness, puffiness and under eye circles.

Simply put, sugar is a major culprit for serious damage to the body, both internally and externally.