# How does your body stop glycation? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 22, 2018, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-your-body-stop-glycation/812911 "2018-04-22T20:27:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Contemplation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Contemplation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contemplation)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2018, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-your-body-stop-glycation/812911/1 "2018-04-22T20:27:50Z")
Does the human body have a way of preventing glycation? I read that sugar in your blood reacts to and damages everything it touches. ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2018, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-your-body-stop-glycation/812911/2 "2018-04-22T21:01:38Z")
> [@Contemplation](#): > > Does the human body have a way of preventing glycation? > > I read that sugar in your blood reacts to and damages everything it touches. Where did you read this? Was it an “alternative health” source? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2018, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-your-body-stop-glycation/812911/3 "2018-04-22T21:29:33Z")
Glycation is a real thing. Lots of skin sites talk about it affecting skin in older adults and diabetics. The question I see is whether these effects are real. Well, [probably not](https://www.sharecare.com/health/functions-of-skin/what-is-glycation). > [@](#): > > Dr. Ellen Marmur, MD > Dermatology > > A hot topic right now in the skin care world is “glycation” essentially, the idea that glucose (from carbohydrates and sugars) that you digest may attach to proteins such as collagen in your body and form new molecules called advanced glycation end products, or AGEs. These AGEs allegedly degrade collagen and elastin, causing them to harden and lose elasticity in the same way rust weakens and degrades metal. It’s important to know that so far the only testing done on glycation and the skin has been in vitro (in a Petri dish in a laboratory), so there’s a long way to go before it’s proven that eating carbohydrates and sugars can destroy the collagen in the dermis. The current hype about glycation stems from solid scientific research that’s been done about plaque buildup in the arteries and blood vessels of diabetics (who are unable to process sugars normally) and how this can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Glycation, which occurs when insulin doesn’t metabolize sugars properly, destroys the collagen in blood vessels (collagen is a structural protein found all over the body, not just in the skin) and ultimately causes it to become brittle and form plaque. Can sugars do equally damaging things to collagen in the skin, even in people who don’t suffer from diabetes? It’s a very interesting theoretical question and a strong argument could be made, but there are as yet no human controlled studies to show the relevance of glycation to the skin. Therefore the body works very well to prevent glycation unless a condition is present. Controlling the condition will help to control glycation. Should young people without these conditions need to worry about it? Probably not. A good diet that will not lead to diabetes is a good thing for everybody and that’s what people should concentrate on. Everyone pushing skin care for glycation just wants to get in your wallet. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2018, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-your-body-stop-glycation/812911/4 "2018-04-22T21:33:35Z")
Dr. Mercola is big on the whole ‘evils’ of glycation thing. Which automatically makes the topic suspect to me. Mercola being big on quackery. The scientific evidence doesn’t really support the claims of glycation being a problem for the vast majority of people, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2018, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-your-body-stop-glycation/812911/5 "2018-04-22T21:45:22Z")
You can’t completely prevent sugar circulating in your blood vessels. Well you can, but it would kill you. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2018, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-your-body-stop-glycation/812911/6 "2018-04-23T01:23:41Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Dr. Mercola is big on the whole ‘evils’ of glycation thing. Which automatically makes the topic suspect to me. Mercola being big on quackery. Mercola also preaches that artificial sweeteners are evil, which kinda puts you between a rock and a hard place (he thinks _organic cane sugar_ and honey are OK in moderation, so I guess those aren’t really sugar as Joe defines sugar). :dubious: I’m at the stage of my life where I eat what I want while limiting calories, getting good exercise and tuning out all the dietary panic noise. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2018, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-your-body-stop-glycation/812911/7 "2018-04-23T03:30:00Z")
Mercola could preach that the sun will rise in the east tomorrow and I would set my sights on the western sky for dawn. He’s not even a stopped clock. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2018, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-your-body-stop-glycation/812911/8 "2018-04-23T04:00:58Z")
A cow-orker’s cute daughter suggested that everybody should work the phones at her company. More money and benefits. Not _ **more** _ benefits. _ **Any** _ benefits would be an improvement. I asked where she worked. “Mercola!” Even I have some standards.