Définition
Glycation is the non-enzymatic attachment of sugars to proteins, lipids, or DNA, creating Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs). AGEs crosslink tissues, stiffen collagen, damage mitochondria, and accelerate biological aging. They are one of the most underappreciated drivers of skin aging and metabolic disease.
Glycation begins when a reducing sugar (glucose, fructose, or their metabolites) reacts spontaneously with an amino group on a protein. This forms a reversible Schiff base, which then rearranges to a more stable Amadori product. Over weeks to months, Amadori products undergo further oxidation and rearrangement to form stable, irreversible AGEs.
AGEs cause damage through two mechanisms. First, structural: they crosslink proteins, making tissues stiffer and less functional. Crosslinked collagen in skin produces wrinkles; crosslinked collagen in arterial walls produces stiffness and elevated blood pressure; crosslinked crystallins in the lens produce cataracts. Second, signaling: AGEs bind to RAGE receptors (receptor for AGEs), activating NF-κB and driving inflammation and oxidative stress.
AGEs accumulate through two routes: endogenous formation from elevated blood glucose (which is why HbA1c — essentially a measurement of hemoglobin glycation over ~3 months — is a biomarker for glycation burden), and exogenous intake from diet. High-heat dry cooking (grilling, frying, roasting, broiling) dramatically increases the AGE content of food. Cooking with moisture (steaming, boiling, slow cooking) produces far fewer AGEs.
Interventions that reduce AGE burden: glycemic control (the single most important factor), reduced consumption of grilled/fried foods, carnosine (a dipeptide concentrated in muscle tissue that binds and detoxifies AGEs), benfotiamine (a fat-soluble B1 derivative that supports glycation defense), and adequate dietary polyphenols. For women, declining estrogen accelerates skin glycation damage — which is why AGE-focused protocols matter more in the perimenopausal decade.
Termes associés
Ava Longevity · Built on the Ava Method · MMXXV