Is sugar ruining your skin?

Is sugar ruining your skin? Here’s a rundown of the effects it can have…

Everyone is always on the lookout for the latest miracle product that will make your skin flawless and beautiful, but improving your skin can be as easy as making a few changes to the way you eat. A high-sugar diet can cause wrinkles and acne, and even make your skin more vulnerable to sun damage. Here’s how a high sugar intake can have a drastic effect on your skin.

Inflammation

Having high blood sugar can cause your body to become inflamed, leading to redness, swelling, stress and a noticeable change in your skin’s tone and texture. Dr Marilyn Glenville PhD, author of Natural Alternatives to Sugar, explains how inflammation of the body can affect DNA structures ‘Telomeres are the protective caps at the end of your chromosomes. They become shorter as we get older and the quicker they shorten, the faster we age. Inflammation causes telomeres to shorten and we know that sugar causes an inflammatory reaction in the body,’ she says. A study of more than 5,000 people discovered that those who drank the largest amounts of sugary soft drinks had shorter telomeres. If you notice that your face looks slightly redder or more swollen than usual, then consider cutting down your sugar intake.

Glycation

Glycation is the name of the process in which the sugar and the protein in your body bond together. Dr Glenville describes how this process works: ‘glycation makes proteins such as collagen and elastin become less effective. The glycation causes the skin to harden and lose its elasticity,’ she says. ‘Collagen helps to plump out your skin, giving it a softer, younger look. While elastin gives your skin elasticity, so that when you smile or frown your skin can go back to its original place. Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs) make both collagen and elastin become rigid, stiff and inflexible, so wrinkles form and skin can become discoloured.’ Reducing the amount of sugar in your diet is therefore a great way to avoid premature wrinkles – we’re on board!

Wrinkles

As we’ve already mentioned, sugar can cause wrinkles, which is a bit of a bummer. However, it doesn’t just do this by damaging the collagen in your skin. A high-sugar diet also affects the type of collagen that you have. The most common types of collagen are types I, II and III. Type III is the most stable and long-lasting kind of collagen. The process of glycation causes type III collagen to be turned into type I collagen, which is the most fragile kind. This transformation means that when you’re on a high-sugar diet, your skin will feel and look less supple and be more susceptible to wrinkles. The science does not lie!

Sun damage

Who knew that having too much sugar in your diet could make your skin more vulnerable to sun damage? As well as everything else listed above, the process of glycation also deactivates your body’s natural antioxidant enzymes. This leaves your skin far less protected in the sun and more likely to suffer from sun damage. It’s a well-known fact that too much sun exposure can cause your skin to become wrinkly and lined, but you can stop that from happening by making sure you eat healthily and don’t go overboard with sugary treats – especially when you’re on holiday in a hot country.

Acne

You’d think that once you’ve been through your teen years you won’t ever have to worry about acne again. Sadly, this isn’t always the case. During our adolescent years we were always told that too much sugar can cause breakouts and this is still the case no matter how old you are. When sugars are digested in your body, this can cause the pancreas to produce more insulin. Too much insulin can prompt a release of androgen hormones and an excess of androgens can trigger your skin to produce too much sebum, which will eventually lead to clogged pores, blackheads, whiteheads and inflamed acne-prone skin. It sounds long-winded but the solution is really simple – cut down on sugar!