Beauty comes from within. You are what you eat – yes that’s so true until we talk about “sugar”, because sugar doesn’t make us sweet in any way, it makes us “age”. You thought sugar affects only your waistline? Sorry to pop the bubble, but it also affects the skin. Terribly.

The effect or association between nutrition and skin condition or nutrition on skin aging has been a topic of interest in research field not only for medics and scientists but also a common field of interest for every human, from ancient times to this date. There are two independents, clinically and biologically, distinctive processes that leads to skin aging. The one is intrinsic aging, expressing chronological aging and affecting the skin in the same way it does to all other vital organs. The second is extrinsic aging of the skin, which we perceive as aged skin and is the result of external and environmental influence, as chronic sun exposure and also pollution, smoking, poor nutrition and sleep deprivation.

How does sugar and sugary items play into aging?

Skin is the primary sensing organ for external stressors, like heat, cold, pain, mechanical tension and pressure. There are two main factors that speed up the aging process of the skin: one is sun exposure causing photodamage and second is AGEs (advanced glycation end products) form when sugar combines with protein molecules like collagen and elastin and causes its cross linking making it stiff and lose its elasticity. This entire process is accelerated in all body tissues when sugar is elevated in blood stream and is further stimulated by ultraviolet light. While these aging culprits aren’t entirely in our control, using sunscreen and being mindful of overall diet can help with how our body protects, prevents and heal.

It’s not just about the fat in fast food or packaged food that’s the wrongdoer but it is the processed carbs. Simple carbohydrates like white breads, candy, fried food, ice cream, fruit juice, pasta, cream cheese, jam, pizza, packaged snacks, soda are all worst miscreants of our skin resulting in fine lines, wrinkles, dull dehydrated skin, pigmentation and skin sagging, all main signs of aging of the skin.

A study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, in which the diets of 453 adults living in different countries were studied and what was found that those who ate more meat, butter, high fat dairy and sugars showed signs of aging like appearance of wrinkles around the eyes and forehead earlier in life than those who consumed more fish, olive oil, legumes, green leafy vegetables etc.

Let’s have a look as to in what all ways does added sugar and high carb food affect the body:

1. Glycation: On entering into the blood stream, sugar like fructose and glucose binds to proteins like Elastin and collagen that supports the dermis layer. During glycation, toxic compounds called Advanced Glycation End Products or AGEs are produced and causes cross linking of collagen and elastin which leads to formation of lines, wrinkles, lose saggy dull skin, under eye dark circles and various other much complicated diseases and fast-track diabetes.

2. Insulin: Each time after the ingestion of sugar, the pancreas produces and releases insulin into the blood stream to tackle down sugar in blood and try to push them into the fat cells. If the pancreas is overworked due to sugar load, it leads to insulin resistance, a pre-diabetic condition.

3. Human Growth Hormone: Produced by pituitary gland, it spurs the growth in children and adolescents. It helps regulate body composition, body fluids, bone and muscle growth, sugar and fat metabolism. Other than the reason that body's HGH levels naturally decreases with age, sugar and Glucose further suppress the human growth hormone, without which you can look and feel older and wasted.

4. Inflammation: Although inflammation is a defence technique that body acquires to deal with the stress, damage and injuries. But when it happens incessantly and, on a loop, inflammation can lead to broken capillaries, loss of skin elasticity, and breakdown of cells. All of which accelerates the aging process.

5. Immunity: Majorly our immune system is associated with monitoring and responding to our gut flora. The gut grows several colonies of bacteria depending on the diet you eat. These bacteria live on the waste products in the gut, favorite is fiber which they help convert into short-chain fatty acids, which yields anti-inflammatory effects. They also help the body produce vitamins, including vitamin B6, which plays an essential role in immune system strengthening. Therefore, when we swap out the fiber and instead choose sugar, it creates disturbed balance in gut flora, causing stress in body failing to reap the immune-boosting benefits these microorganisms offer us. Sugar also decreases white blood cell functioning and hence the body’s defence mechanism.

6. Obesity: Research has shown that when we eat sugar, we tend to ignore healthy foods and deprive our body of critical vitamins and minerals needed to maintain good health, healthy gut, cholesterol in check and a youthful complexion.

Sugar intake has shown worsening of Various other systemic disorders like cardio-vascular diseases, diabetes of course, Alzheimer’s, age-related bone disorders, Covid-19, The effect on vascular, renal, retinal, and many others including skin tissue damage resulting in premature aging and hair issues. Sugar just doesn’t enter in the system eating sugar only, as explained earlier. Other than carbs, carbonated drinks and processed food, sugar is also majorly consumed in hidden form. Remember the “sugar free” label on juice tetra-packs? So, let’s read out what these hidden sugars are.

There are more than 100 different names for sugar on ingredient lists. Many prepared foods contain hefty amounts of sugar—including corn syrup barley malt, dextrose, fructose, maltose, fruit juice concentrate, maple syrup, labelled on ingredient panels under the following names: Anhydrous dextrose, brown sugar, high-fructose corn syrup cane crystals, cane sugar, crystal dextrose, evaporated cane juice, malt syrup sweetener, honey, liquid fructose, molasses, pancake syrup, raw sugar, sugar, syrup, galactol, xylitol and many more.

It’s practically not possible to give up on everything completely or keep looking and banging head as far as quantity per serving is concerned. Look out for the nutrition label for sugars, listed in grams under total carbohydrates. Then divide it by four (each teaspoon of sugar is equal to 4g) to convert it to teaspoon measurement. Let’s say, if sugars are listed as 12g, you're getting three teaspoons of sugar per serving.

Prevention is the best and most efficient way. The best strategy against the harmful action of free radicals is a well-regulated lifestyle and daily routine with low stress conditions and a balanced nutritional diet, which includes anti-oxidative rich diet. Carotenoids, tocopherols and flavonoids, as well as vitamins (A, C, D and E), omega-3-fatty acids, proteins and lactobacilli have been proven to be able to promote healthy supple and beautiful skin.

The good news about sugar-damaged skin is, it's not permanent and it’s never too late to turn the clock back. Employ an inside out approach with anti-oxidants. One way is to work topically, with products that contain retinoids, hyaluronic, antioxidants such as green tea, vitamin C and E, for them to reach the dermal layer where collagen and elastin are located, are real skin saver. And the other way is to work on inside like diet modification, regular active lifestyle, giving up on sugar (checking and calculating the grams per serving), by eating more antioxidant-rich fruits, nuts, and vegetables, such as cranberries, walnuts, and red bell peppers, to help keep sugar from attaching to proteins. This keeps the collagen intact, prevents AGEs from forming by minimizing the damage sugar causes to your skin.

References
1. Brown, E. (2018). ‘Different Words for Sugar on Food Labels’, SF Gate, 6 December. Available at https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/different-words-sugar-food-labels-8373.htm
2. Repinski, K. (2011). ‘Face Facts About Sugar’, Prevention, 3 November. Available at https://www.prevention.com/beauty/skin-care/a20428803/how-sugar-ages-your-skin
3. Leith-Manos, R. (2013). ‘Is sugar ageing you?’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 16 May. Available at https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/beauty/is-sugar-ageing-you-20130513-2jib2.html
4. Schagen, S.K. et al. (2012). ‘Discovering the link between nutrition and skin aging’, Taylor & Francis Online, 01 July. Available at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.4161/derm.22876?src=recsys
5. Pilest, N. Available at https://www.totaldermatology.com/blog/why-sugar-is-bad-for-your-skin-from-acne-to-wrinkles
6. Danby, F.W. (2010). ‘Nutrition and aging skin: sugar and glycation’, ScienceDirect, 29 June. Available at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0738081X10000428