Does sugar cause wrinkles?

Originally posted in 2019

Sugar has a terrible reputation right now. While fat was once touted as the “worst food”, sugar has taken the #1 spot.

Because diet culture must have a villain, there have been many claims surrounding sugar and health. When it comes to the beauty community, sugar is now blamed for aging skin and wrinkles.

But before we jump on that bandwagon, let’s take a look at what the research really says. In this article, I review sugar and skin health and let you know if your sweet tooth is giving you more than just cavities.

Sugar and Skin: What is Sugar?

Before I dive into the science, I thought it would be a good idea to let you know what sugar really is.

Sugar is a monosaccharide or disaccharide. This simply means that it is short chain of carbohydrates either one or two in length.

The three main types of monosaccharides include:

• Glucose

• Galactose

• Fructose

The three main types of disaccharides include:

• Lactose (Galactose + Glucose)

• Sucrose (Fructose + Glucose)

• Maltose (Glucose + Glucose)

Sucrose is table sugar and the sugar we usually think of.

Fructose is mainly found in fruit, which is healthy for us. This is because the sugar in fruit is bound within the cell of the plant and is surrounded by fibre. Therefore, when we eat fruit, sugar is not absorbed as quickly.

Fructose is also found in high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). This is a processed sweetener commonly added to pop/soda and other processed foods. It is cheaper than sucrose and is also much sweeter, meaning manufacturers can add less HFCS and still make the product very sweet. Excess consumption of HFCS is linked with the development of obesity and other chronic diseases.

Lactose is the main sugar in milk and dairy products. It is the sugar than many people have difficulty breaking down, resulting in lactose-intolerance.

Common Sugar Sources

Sugar is everywhere. Yes, fruit is very high in sugar, but this isn’t where we are getting most of our sugar from.

Most modern societies are eating too much sugar from processed food, such as pop/soda, prepackaged meals, candy, fast food, etc.

Let’s just take a second to compare sugar content in processed food:

• 1 small can of Coke = 39 grams of sugar

• 1 Arizona Iced Tea can = 72 grams of sugar *Note: The website states an 8-ounce can is 24 grams of sugar, but most people purchase the 23 ounce large can.

• 1 large McFlurry = 103 grams of sugar

• 1 Hungry Man dinner package = 22 grams of sugar

• 1 Grande Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino = 64 grams of sugar

• 1 cup tomato sauce (in a jar) = 10 grams of sugar

• 2 tbsp ketchup = 8 grams of sugar

As you can see, sugar is in a lot of food. And it can be really easy to go overboard.

While there is no standard recommendation for sugar, the American Heart Association recommends no more than 6-9 teaspoons of added sugar each day, or about 5% of total daily calories.

To put this into perspective, if you need 2000 calories per day, that’s 100 calories from sugar or 25 grams.

Case in point, you’re already over your recommended sugar intake after a single can of pop.

Considering people get upwards of 25% of their daily calories from sugar, we have A LOT of work to do.

Later in this article, I will give you some tips on how to cut down on sugar.

Added Sugar vs Natural Sugar

Like I mentioned earlier, sugar in fruit is bound and takes longer to release. This means that it won’t have the same impact as a spoonful of pure sugar.

Sugar and Skin: The relationship

Sugar is a carbohydrate, just in small form. So are starches and fibre, but in longer form.

The longer the chain of carbohydrates, the longer it takes to digest.

So, if you eat sugars that are 1-2 carbohydrates in length, it doesn’t take long to get absorbed in the body.

In fact, sugar can even be absorbed underneath the tongue, since it can readily enter the blood stream.

Because of this, eating large amounts of sugar can increase our blood sugar. Fortunately, we have a pancreas that pumps out insulin, which is the “key” that allows sugar to enter the cells.

If you eat a diet high in sugar and processed food, your pancreas constantly pumps out insulin. After a while, it gets very tired.

As a result, less insulin is released and sugar stays in our blood. This leads to high blood sugar which can do serious damage on the cells, including our skin cells.

In fact, those who have high circulating blood sugar are at serious risk of neuropathy, a condition where our nerve endings are damaged and lose sensation.

To boot, those who consume a diet high in sugar are much more likely to develop obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other serious health issues.

When it comes to sugar and skin, a high sugar load can lead to decreased blood flow and ultimately lead to skin issues such as rashes, itchiness, and skin hardening.

In addition to this, a diet high in sugar can lead to a process called glycation, which has been linked to skin aging.

What is glycation?

The relationship between sugar and skin comes down to glycation.

Simply put, glycation is a damaging process that results in sugar cross-linking collagen fibres. As a result, collagen is unable to repair.

Normally, collagen and elastin (main structural proteins of our skin) are shaped in a way that allows regular repair.

Sucrose and fructose are the two main sugars involved in glycation. These sugars bind to collagen and elastin, leading to covalent bonding process and links these proteins together.

When they are finally linked together, this is called “advanced glycation end products” or AGEs.

Here is a VERY simplified version of the process:

Finally, AGEs can be produced through cooking methods, such as deep-frying or barbecuing (think the black marks on meat). Keep these cooking methods to a minimum.

Furthermore, it appears that foods high in processed fructose (think pops/sodas) may have a stronger impact on AGEs.

While we should limit all added sugars, if you really want to make a positive impact on your health, start with reducing the amount of sugar-sweetened beverages like pop, fruit cocktails, etc. that you drink.

Why is glycation bad?

Imagine not being able to get rid of rust on your car.

It starts off with a small amount, but after a while, it ruins the bottom of it.

Now, if you knew that you could prevent rust damage, you would. You just need to learn how and have the right resources.

Same thing applies here. Remember that collagen is the most abundant protein in our body and makes up a MASSIVE part of our skin.

Elastin helps to keep our skin elastic and plump, while collagen provides structure.

Because glycation makes collagen unrepairable, our skin will begin to lose structure. Over time, you will start to see more wrinkles and sagging skin.

AGEs start to show up in our skin around the age of 20 (yep, that early!) and continued to grow at around 3.7% each year.

In addition to that, there are other things besides sugars that will speed up collagen loss and lead to the development of AGEs:

• UV damage (tanning beds and sun exposure)

• Smoking

• Stress

• Diet high in processed foods and meat

• Chemicals

• Pollution

But the good news is that you can PREVENT further collagen damage through healthy lifestyle practices. Which I will talk about in the next few sections.

What does the research say?

Interestingly, there isn’t a ton of research on sugar and skin when it comes to glycation.

In fact, there isn’t conclusive research that says whether glycation from sugar-intake leads to chronic disease. Most studies have been done in rats, which doesn’t tell us if this will be the same for humans.

However, there is great research that tells us a high-sugar diet is linked to higher rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other serious chronic diseases.

Furthermore, there is supportive evidence that high-sugar diets may lead to increased inflammation in the body. And as I’ve talked about many times, inflammation is extremely harmful for our skin.

Inflammation can lead to damaged collagen, elastin, and other important components of our skin. As a result, our skin becomes weakened and results in deeper, more visible wrinkles and fine lines.

To make things worse, AGEs produced in the body from sugar, high-temperature foods, and external factors may also lead to oxidative stress and inflammation.

Oxidative stress occurs when free radicals produced and damage cells. While we always have free radicals in the body, certain lifestyle factors such as smoking, poor diet, and sun exposure can increase the number of free radicals in the body. As a result, our body has a much harder time dealing with them.

How you can prevent glycation

Let’s start off with the bad news: You cannot prevent glycation completely

As part of aging, our body has a harder time repairing damage to our body. Furthermore, our body produces less collagen and elastin as we get older.

This is why, regardless of your lifestyle, you will eventually notice your skin doesn’t bounce back the way it used to.

Once you accept this, you’ll have a much easier time approaching positive ways to slow down glycation.

So, how can you do this?

Step 1: Reduce how much sugar you drink

One of the biggest problems North Americans face is our reliance on sugar-sweetened beverages.

I say sugar-sweetened beverages because it includes a wide-range of drinks. It’s not just the pop. It’s the fruit juices, iced teas, slushies, energy drinks, sugary coffee drinks, and more.

We are drinking WAY too many calories and sugar.

Here’s the thing, because it’s already in liquid form, our body doesn’t have to work hard to digest it. This means that the drink leaves our stomach quickly and the sugar is absorbed almost immediately.

As mentioned earlier, this skyrockets our blood sugar, leading to many issues.

The other problem is that just because we are drinking calories, that doesn’t mean we stop eating them. Think about when you visit a fast-food restaurant. Do you order a pop and call that dinner?

Of course not.

You’ll order an entire meal with it. Do this a few times a week and you’re going to be overconsuming calories quickly.

So, if you could do one thing for yourself, it would be to drink less sugar.

If you feel tired, opt for a coffee or tea. It will give you a boost of energy, provide excellent antioxidants, and are both essentially calorie-free.

Even if you add milk or a small amount of sugar, it will be dramatically better than a pop or energy drink.

Choose water more often. It amazes me that people say they do not like the taste of water. That alone tells me how reliant people are on sugar.

Step 2: Re-train your taste buds

Following my last point, our society is incredibly dependent on sugar. We have become so dependent on sugar that nothing tastes good without it.

Back in my sports days, I remember seeing teammates drinking pop on the bench. They couldn’t even drink water while exercising.

That blew my mind. But I don’t blame them.

Once you introduce yourself to high-sugar drinks and foods, why would you want to go back? It tastes better and your brain releases happy hormones.

But here’s the problem, the more you expect sweetness, the harder it is to eat a healthier diet. And let’s be clear, vegetables are never going to taste like candy.

However, if you train yourself to enjoy the real flavour of foods without sugar or other additives, you won’t need to add as much sugar, salt, or butter to these foods.

It won’t happen over night, but I encourage you to slow down on sugar, salt, and butter. Add less and less each time.

A good tip to weaning off pop is to dilute it or use smaller portions. If you dilute it, just add some water with it.

If that’s too much, find a small glass and pour the pop into it. Tell yourself that when you are done the glass then you are done drinking pop. It’ll be tricky at first, but over time you will learn to associate that empty cup with being satisfied.

Step 3: Read your labels

Become more aware of the food you’re eating. Look on the label for “Sugars”.

Aim for anything less than 10 grams of sugar per serving. If you still want to have it, then remember it’s a treat and don’t go overboard.

Unfortunately, in Canada, we do not separate added sugars from naturally occurring sugars. This means that something with fruit may be “high” in sugars, when really, it’s the naturally occurring type.

The best thing you can do is eat fruit whole, which leads to a slower spike in your blood sugar.

When you get in the habit of reading labels, you’ll quickly become more mindful of your eating choices.

Step 4: Add more vegetables and fruit

Look, I don’t expect you to never have sugar again and I would never want you to.

Sugar has a great role in our lives. It adds great flavour, quick energy, and plays a key role in cooking and baking.

However, try your best to get sugar through fruit, which is extremely high in antioxidants, fibre, and other nutrients.

Fibre will help slow sugar absorption and is also important for a healthy gut.

Antioxidants will help fight free radicals that are produced from a poor diet, UV exposure, smoking, pollution, and other external causes.

Vitamins A, C, and E are extremely important for skin health. Fortunately, fruit provides an excellent source of vitamins.

Vegetables also provide these benefits as well, with even less sugar.

If you’re struggling to get rid of the high-sugar foods in your diet, try adding healthy foods. It is much easier to ADD to your diet than it is to take away. Adding nutrition will eventually leave less room for less healthy foods.

Step 5: Sleep more and stress less

Stay tuned for articles on sleep and stress, because there are a lot of great skin-boosting benefits of both.

For now, remember that our body rejuvenates itself overnight and that includes our skin. Sleep gives our cells time to heal, which includes building new collagen.

Furthermore, lack of sleep puts more stress on our body, leading to increased inflammation and higher circulating blood sugar.

That is a type of physical stress, but emotional stress can be even worse for skin health.

When we are stressed, we have higher levels of cortisol which leads to higher levels of inflammation in the body. Again, this puts stress on our skin.

Step 6: Take care of your skin

While nutrition is incredible and can protect yourself from a lot of problems, I’ll be the first one to tell you that nutrition can only do so much.

Keep in mind that when you eat nutrients, they are dispersed throughout the body. This means that if you ate an orange, the vitamin C will travel to your skin, but also your liver, eyes, lungs, etc. You can’t control where it goes.

This is why skin products are so helpful. When you apply vitamin C serum to the skin, it is a targeted application. It works where you put it.

In addition to living a healthy lifestyle, prevent skin damage through use of proper skincare products.

Since I’m not a dermatologist, I’m not going to recommend specific products to you. If you are struggling to figure out what products your skin needs, I encourage you to visit a dermatologist. They will be able to figure out the right products for your skin type. This will prevent you from wasting money on unnecessary products and see results much faster.

If you don’t visit a dermatologist, I strongly encourage you to do your research before throwing random products on your face.

Sum it up

This article discussed the important relationship between sugar and skin.

Sugar and skin health are closely related. We know that a diet high in whole, unprocessed food is better for our bodies, and this includes the skin.

While I don’t expect you to cut out sugar 100%, which I think is a miserable life, I do encourage you to evaluate where you are with your relationship with sugar.

Are there areas you can improve? Do you drink too much pop? Do you snack on sweets in the evening? Find one thing to improve on and focus on that.

Cutting sugar “cold turkey” is going to be very hard and honestly, will likely lead to failure. I rather you slowly cut down on sugar and incorporate healthier foods into your diet.

Remember, no single food will harm your skin or heal it. It’s about the trend in behaviours. That’s why focusing MORE on healthy behaviours will benefit you in the long run.

Glycation is a real issue that can damage your skin. Furthermore, a diet high in sugar can lead to an array of other health issues.

If keeping your skin youthful motivates you to cut down on sugar, then I’m all for that!

Cheers,

Katey Davidson, MScFN, RD, CPT

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Danby FW. Nutrition and aging skin: sugar and glycation. Clinics in Dermatology. 2010; 28:09–411. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20620757

Gkogkolou P, Bohm M. Advanced glycation end products: Key players in skin aging? Dermato-Endocrinology. 2011; 4(3):259–270. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23467327

Kellow NJ, Coughlan MT, Reid CM. Association between habitual dietary and lifestyle behaviours and skin autofluorescence (SAF), a marker of tissue accumulation of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs), in healthy adults. Eur J Nutr. 2018 Sep;57(6):2209-2216. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28656390