Not Just Diabetes, Sugar Causes You To Age Faster - Dermatologist Explains How

Unless you have been living under a rock, it's now a well-established fact that the consumption of refined sugar can lead to several health problems including an increase in the risk of developing obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Several studies have also linked high sugar consumption to ailments like depression, dementia, liver disease, and even certain types of cancer. But there's one thing that not many are aware of - indiscriminate sugar consumption can also cause you to age faster.

Dr Neha Dubey, Consultant Medical & Cosmetic Dermatologist, and MD at Meraki Skin Clinic, Gurugram, says, "It’s a bitter truth that the consumption of excess sugar, especially refined sugar is associated with the accelerated process of ageing." 

Stress And Sugar Consumption - A Vicious Cycle

Sugar has become very common in almost every packaged food item that’s available these days, Dr Neha Dubey says. "Our modern stressful lifestyle adds to the sugar cravings. Sugar-containing processed foods can cause habit-forming behaviours in people thus creating a vicious cycle as when we are stressed our body secrets more cortisol which is linked to the desire for more sugar," she says,

How Sugar Consumption Accelerates Aging Process

So how does sugar cause you to age faster? As Dr Dubey points out, we already know that collagen is one of the major components of the skin. "Apart from the many functions it performs for the health of the bones, joints, muscles and heart, it strengthens the skin and provides it with structure, elasticity and hydration. As we age, our body produces less collagen, leading to dry skin and the formation of fine lines and wrinkles. This process is accelerated by the consumption of sugar," the dermatologist explains.

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She adds, "Glucose and fructose (sugars) link the amino acids present in collagen and elastin, thus covalently cross-linking two collagen fibres which render them incapable of repair. This leads to the formation of advanced glycation end products or AGEs. These AGEs cause collagen and elastin within the skin and other body tissues to become weak and brittle leading to wrinkles, sagging skin & many other signs of ageing. Sugar also increases inflammation in the body which can cause further damage to the collagen and elastin fibres. The same effect is also defined in vascular, renal, coronary and retinal tissues." She points out that the load of glycation can be reduced through careful diet and lifestyle modification.