When Sugar Is Not So Sweet

In Part II of his Aging Well series, Dr. Frank Comstock looks at the role glucose plays in accelerating the aging process.

Our brains depend on a constant supply of glucose to function. We think and feel better when blood glucose levels are controlled. However, elevated glucose levels harm the body in a number of ways. High glucose levels damage cells via a process called glycation. Glycation occurs when glucose combines with proteins in cells and disrupts cell function. The glaze on a honey baked ham is an example of glycation. But, what's good for the ham is not so good for the human.

Cataracts--the cloudy haze of the lens--is one way we can experience glycation, wrinkling is another. The glucose literally "gums up the works" and by doing so, increases the risk of many diseases and greatly accelerates the aging process. The glycation process results in injury to blood vessels throughout the body. The organs supplied by these injured blood vessels will suffer damage in the form of heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, and blindness. High glucose levels leads to high insulin levels and all the health problems associated with that (see: How to Slow the Aging Process). It is crucial to control our blood glucose levels.

Next: Health problems associated with high glucose levels