GLYCATION

The problem isn't sugar. It's where it ends up. Your body needs glucose to survive because every cell relies on it to produce energy and keep your body functioning. Most of the time, that's exactly what happens. But when excess glucose remains in your bloodstream, it starts attaching itself to proteins instead of being used as fuel. Scientists call this glycation, while we like to think of collagen like a new elastic band. Strong. Flexible. Designed to stretch and bounce back.

Now imagine coating that elastic band in hardened caramel. It still exists. It just doesn't work the way it used to. That's what glycation does. As sugar attaches to collagen and elastin, it forms compounds called Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs). These compounds change the structure of the proteins themselves, making them stiffer, more brittle and less able to repair and recover. Over time, the skin's support structure becomes less resilient. Wrinkles become easier to form. Elasticity declines. Healing slows. All these changes we associate with ageing begin long before we can see them.

When we're young, our bodies do a remarkable job of managing this damage. We produce collagen faster and have stronger natural defence systems to repair and replace ageing proteins. But as we get older, those repair systems gradually slow down while the effects of decades of sun exposure, pollution and excess glycation begin to accumulate. The result isn't just older-looking skin. Glycation affects proteins throughout the body. Bones, tendons, cartilage, blood vessels and muscles all rely on healthy, flexible proteins to function properly. When those proteins become stiff, so do the tissues they build. The good news is that glycation isn't all or nothing. You need glucose to live and in this instance, sugar isn't the enemy.

But frequent spikes in blood glucose, diets high in refined sugars and highly processed carbohydrates can accelerate the process. Regular movement, balanced nutrition and healthy blood glucose regulation help keep glycation under better control. This matters because collagen isn't simply there to make your skin look younger. It's part of a much bigger system designed to keep your body strong, flexible and functioning well. That's why we care about glycation. Not because we're trying to stop ageing. But because supporting molecular function gives your body the best chance to do what it was designed to do.