Sugar, glycation and aging in skin tissue
What it found
Sugars like glucose and fructose can link collagen fibers together, making them harder to repair.
This process speeds up when sugar levels are high or when skin is exposed to ultraviolet light.
What they found
How sugar changes collagen
Glucose and fructose bind to the building blocks of collagen and elastin in the deeper skin layer. This creates molecules known as advanced glycation end products, or AGEs.
Harder to repair skin
When two collagen fibers become chemically linked by sugar, neither fiber can be repaired easily. The authors say this drives the effect of sugar on aging skin.
High sugar speeds it up
This linking process happens faster in all body tissues when sugar levels are elevated.
Sunlight adds to damage
Ultraviolet light further stimulates the formation of these sugar-linked molecules in the skin.
What the authors conclude
- They note that the effects on blood vessels, kidneys, eyes, heart and skin are still being mapped out.
- They suggest that careful eating habits and supplements may help lower the amount of these sugar-linked molecules in the body.
How it was done
The authors wanted to explain how sugars affect aging skin through a chemical process called glycation. They note that scientists are still working out the full effects on different body tissues.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This work describes a chemical process rather than testing people over time. It cannot show exactly how much sugar in your diet will change your skin.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Dartmouth Medical School, USA
The paper
- Title
- Nutrition and aging skin: sugar and glycation
- Type
- Study
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Danby FW (2010). Nutrition and aging skin: sugar and glycation. Clinics in dermatology. doi:10.1016/j.clindermatol.2010.03.018PubMed 20620757DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error