AGEs, or Advanced Glycation End Products, are harmful compounds that occur when proteins or fats bind to sugar. They accumulate with age and are increased with diets high in sugar as well as food cooked using dry, high heat such as grilling, broiling, frying or even toasting. Our bodies have mechanisms to help dispose of AGEs but when our diet tips the balance and we have more AGEs than we can eliminate, then AGEs accumulate. They have become a bio-marker of aging, an index of biological decay. The more AGEs, the more aging.
AGEs are now linked to most chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, cataracts and dementia. AGEs lead to increased oxidative stress and thus inflammation. They are responsible for the stiffening of arteries, clouding of the lenses of your eye (cataracts), gumming up the neural connections in your brain and hinder the filtering process in your kidneys. AGESs are responsible for the complications of diabetes: blindness due to retinopathy, neuropathy, cardiovascular disease and kidney failure. In fact, diabetics are 2-5 times more likely to have heart disease and heart attacks and 20-25% more likely to have impaired kidney function.
AGEs and Glucose
We can consume AGEs through our diet, but we create them endogenously as well. AGEs occur when sugar, mainly glucose, binds to proteins or fat. The higher the number of glucose molecules available to bind to protein and fat, the higher the number of AGEs. In addition, the longer glucose levels are elevated, the more AGEs are created and accelerate the aging process. In addition, AGEs can bind to each other leading to “AGE polymers.” Once bound they typically accumulate and are resistant to the bodies normal clearing processes.
AGEs still form at normal blood sugar levels but at much slower rates. Therefore elevated glucose levels in the blood accelerate aging. You don’t have to have diabetes to increase AGE formation. People with pre diabetes or those who frequently consume high sugar/carbohydrate meals, increase AGE buildup more quickly.
Grains and sugar are two categories that spike blood sugar quickly and contribute most to the development of AGEs. Of all of the grains, wheat and its cousins, barley and rye, are the worst. Though yes, oatmeal also raises blood sugar significantly. Wheat, and other grains, contain a starch known as Amylopectin A. Amylopectin A has the ability to spike blood sugars and keep them elevated for long amounts of time thus increasing the exposure time of proteins and lipids to glucose.
It’s important to note that fructose, the sugar found in fruit, increases AGEs 10 times more than glucose but plays less of a role in AGE formation because it is much less prevalent in the bloodstream compared to glucose. Fruit juice and high fructose corn syrup, typically found in soda and energy drinks, and table sugar are common sources of fructose.
Exogenous AGEs
Food vary in their AGE content but animal products cooked at high heat are a common source. Cooking meat at dry, high heat such as broiling, frying and grilling can raise the AGE content by one thousand fold. The amount of time the meat is cooked also increases AGE content. The longer the cooking time, the higher the AGE content in the food. Meats cured with sodium nitrate, like bacon, hot dogs, salami, pepperoni, also have higher AGE levels. Meat in and of itself isn’t bad for you, rather it’s how it’s prepared.
A Measure of Glycation (and thus a measure of aging)
There is a simple test to measure the rate of glycation occurring in our body: A hemoglobin A1C (HGA1C.) A HGA1C is blood test used to screen for diabetes and monitor glucose levels in diabetics. HGA1C is a test measuring the percentage of glucose molecules bound to hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein in our red blood cells that carries oxygen. People with normal insulin sensitivity and low carbohydrate diets typically have HGA1C measurements that range from 4.4-4.9. The average non-diabetic’s HGA1C ranges between 5.0-6.4. Whereas diabetics range anywhere from 7-12%. Glycation doesn’t just occur at higher HGA1C levels. In fact, at normal HGA1C readings, every 1% increase in HGA1C levels is associated with an increase in heart attack risk and 28% increase in mortality.
How to Minimize AGEs
Limit Consumption of Sugar (and anything that turns into sugar)
Since sugar is the substrate to bind to proteins and fat and form AGEs, less sugar equals less glycation. It’s that simple. The number one step to reduce AGE formation is to decrease sugar, and anything that breaks down into sugar in your diet. Table sugar, honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup agave syrup and candy are common sources of sugar. Essentially anything with the word “syrup” is sugar. Another common sugar is fructose. Fructose is the sugar found in fruit, and items like fruit juice, soda, energy drinks and high fructose corn syrup spike fructose levels in the blood. You can occasionally use some natural sweeteners such as stevia, inulin, monk fruit, erythritol and allulose, but best to keep sweet foods and drinks to a minimum. A good rule of thumb, don’t drink your calories.
Grains compose the majority of calories Americans consume. Grains include wheat (white and whole grain, it doesn’t matter), rice, corn, oats, barley, rye, millet, spelt, kamut, durum, triticale and semolina. Grains are essentially complex forms of sugar. Grains not only increase glucose levels but they keep them elevated for longer amounts of time, wheat being the worst due to its high content of Amylopectin A. Amylopectin A is the starch found in most grains and has the unique ability to raise blood sugar quickly and keep it elevated. Sources of grains include bagels, muffins, bread, pasta, rice, oatmeal (yes, oatmeal), cereal, corn, tortillas, corn chips, breakfast bars, crackers and cookies, just to name a few. To minimize AGE accumulation, slow the aging process and prevent and reverse chronic disease, ditch the grains and limit sugar intake. Think twice the next time you want one of those bagels sitting in the break room at work, better to have an apple with some unsweetened almond butter.
And this isn’t about being gluten free. Don’t replace grains with “gluten free” products as they are typically made with starches that will also spike glucose levels, even more than wheat. The elevated glucose will lead to increased AGE formation, defeating the purpose of why we eliminate grains in the first place.
Eat Whole Foods
Because the food industry maximizes the amount of sugar and wheat in every product, it’s hard to escape, unless you chose to eat whole foods. Foods without labels. Incorporate protein, healthy fats and plenty of vegetables in your diet. It will decrease glucose intake, AGE formation and slow the aging process. Replace those calories with whole foods like avocados, extra virgin olive oil, green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, and healthy proteins like eggs, chicken, fish and beef. If you are vegan or vegetarian, fermented soy is a good source of protein. See the recipe section for delicious meal ideas. You will not miss out on taste by giving up grains and sugar. In fact, once you eliminate grains from your diet, your taste buds will wake up to the rich taste of real whole foods.
Tip: Always have healthy whole food snacks with you at all times so you won’t be tempted to eat grains and sugar at times when you’re hungry and on the go.
Limit Dry, High Heat Cooking
Animal products cooked at high heat for long amounts of time increase AGE formation. Better to cook at low temperatures, sous vide or boil your meats. If you are cooking at high heat, limit the exposure time of the meat to the heat. Also meats processed with nitrites like bacon, hot dogs and salami also have higher AGE levels. The issue is not the meat, but how it’s prepared.
Vitamin C, E and B6 (Pyridoxamine)
Vitamins C, E and B6 have been shown to decrease AGE formation through their antioxidant properties. Though vitamin C is most abundant in citrus fruits, they are also high in sugar so limit consumption of these fruits and avoid citrus juices. Other good sources of vitamin C, that won’t spike your blood sugar, include peppers, strawberries, broccoli and brussels sprouts. A daily supplement of 1000 mgs/day will also provide the needed amount. Sources of Vitamin E include sunflower seeds, almonds, almond butter, pumpkin, red bell pepper, spinach, collard greens and beet greens. Peanuts and peanut butter are a good source but contain phytates which inhibit the absorption of calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron. Better to obtain Vitamin E through other sources. You can supplement 400 IUs daily. Vitamin B6 is found in pork, poultry, fish, chickpeas and dark leafy green vegetables. Supplementing vitamin B6 is most likely safe, but too much can lead to side effects so best to obtain B6 through your diet.
Herbs and Spices
Ginger, cinnamon, cloves, marjoram, rosemary and tarragon can also lower AGE levels but not to the extent of the vitamins listed above. Incorporate them in your cooking.. Not only will they enhance the flavor of your food, they will lower your AGEs as well.
I was JUST reading about this very thing yesterday!