Glucose Toxicity and Aging
Not many think of glucose (the main simple sugar used for energy in the body) as potentially toxic. Yet water too, a basic substrate of human physiology, and even oxygen are also known to be potentially toxic to us.

I have often written about high-carb diets leading to high glucose levels and increased insulin levels and a whole host of health problems. Today I want to explain how excess glucose causes toxicity and aging in our bodies.

Essentially excess glucose tends to bind with functional body proteins. This process is called glycation, and the resultant protein becomes non-functional. Glycation is thought to be one of the major mechanisms of the aging process, as well as the mechanism by which glucose exerts its deadly effects on diabetics. Glycation is the “sour” side of sugar. Much of what we know about glycation and its effects is based on studies of adult onset diabetics. For example the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial data was published in 1993 concluded there was a 60% decrease in vascular complications of diabetes with the most aggressive control of blood sugar and glycosylated hemoglobin levels. Hemoglobin A1-c or glycosylated hemoglobin is a glycation end product measurable in the blood, and is commonly used to assess long term glucose control in diabetics. The conclusion from this study was that glucose itself is toxic to type 2 (adult onset) diabetics.

I am convinced that such data can be extrapolated to apply to the non-diabetic population as well. The “AGE”’s are advanced glycation endproducts. Modification of the hemoglobin molecule by glycation has been mentioned above, and is measurable in the lab for both diabetics and non-diabetics. But the most abundant body protein is collagen. Glycation of collagen can be responsible for micro-vascular disease and arteriosclerosis, the loss of elasticity and flexibility of connective tissue so characteristic of aging, and the kidney disease so prevalent in diabetics. AGEs can also deposit on live cells and perhaps on nuclear material such as DNA and RNA, reeking havoc on cell functions.

So can you do something about this? Yes you can. Eat no sugar, and much less refined carbohydrates. Never drink anything with calories, including fruit juices and soda pop. Do not over eat, and stay close to your ideal weight. Exercise regularly. Have your metabolic type and glucose tolerance assessed by laboratory testing including a glucose-insulin tolerance test and blood lipids to rule out insulin resistance syndrome. Medical research will probably eventually lead to a safe drug that blocks the formation of AGEs, and other drugs that are able to remove pre-existing sugar-protein cross-linkages. Aminoguanidine has well documented AGEs inhibiting properties in animal studies, but is not safe enough for widespread human use. One crosslink breaker, alagebrium chloride, is already under study and appears to be safe. It holds promise for reversing many of the sequelae of aging and of diabetes. Supplements or medications directed at maintaining proper glucose metabolism and lower insulin levels are already well documented, like chromium, vanadium, and lipoic acid and the drug Glucophage (metformin) is safe enough to be used prophylactically against the aging process in non-diabetics. Carnosine levels drop with age and supplementation may interfere with the glycation process as it helps restore muscular tone and mitochondrial energy production. Benfotiamine is a thiamine derivative which also effectively reduces AGEs formation.

The various processes involved in aging are becoming better understood. Glycation is one of the important ones. Work with a knowlegable and proactive natural medicine specialist to make sure you are doing everything you can to slow the aging process.

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