Limited flexibility? Having trouble recovering?

Advanced Glycation End Products

AGEs are highly reactive compounds that form through various pathways. Simply put, they are a reduction of sugars and amino acids. This is called a Maillard reaction or a browning reaction. You might have seen this in the kitchen when cooking a steak. A little bit of heat alters the sugar and protein giving meat a golden brown look and the savory rich taste.  

Now wait a minute...how can such a yummy thing be reactive? If you go back to Chemistry 101, reactive compounds are a no-no. Highly unstable and dangerous. Well, before you stop cooking your food, read on as this is not really about burnt steak but more about something that poses a greater threat to your health; sugar.

AGEs can be exogenous (external factor) or endogenous (internal factor). So sure, a charred steak and even a cigar would be considered exogenous sources of AGEs. Take that cigar for example. Cellulose and starch is hydrolyzed into glucose, which is converted to aromatic substances through the Maillard reaction. This is why people smell the cigar before lighting it. But today were going to cover endogenous sources of AGEs, specifically blood sugar.

Wait, I get AGEs are unstable but what actually happens in the body?

One of the biggest issues with AGEs is how they interact with collagen. Collagen is the main structural protein that makes up over 30% of the human body. Your skin, bones, cartilage, tendons, and connective tissue rely on collagen to provide the structural matrix to build tissue upon. 

Now, if you are reading this newsletter on your phone, you might not be able to make out the graphic below. But basically what happens is that when sugars are  glycated (bind to protein), they crosslink the collagen fibers disrupting the framework. Disordered binding of collagen molecules together forces them to have a fixed orientation with respect to each other, and ultimately affects how they are assembled into fibrils. This disruption leads to stiffness in the tissue.

Collagen fibers are naturally strong and flexible. For example, smooth supple skin compared to dry and cracked skin with wrinkles. Keep in mind that this applies to every part of the body where collagen exists. The cardiovascular system is a good example. Blood vessels can become stiff. This can make it challenging for the heart to do its job, which increases pressure peripherally. There are other consequences that occur such as internal inflammation but that’s a story for another day!

Whether it's your bones, muscle tissue, or tendons, glycated sugars can increase stiffness and decrease the quality of the tissue. This can can make it more difficult to move (we all know someone who is really stiff or tight), contribute to a slow recovery from an injury, and increase the risk of injury (hello bone fracture!). 

How do I avoid these issues?

Well, here's the bad news: Glycation is a process that occurs naturally. Even with normal glucose levels, the process can still occur. However, changing lifestyle behaviors can slow the formation of AGEs and can reduce the impact glycation has on the body. Here are some things to consider:

 1. Keep an eye on your sugar intake. Diets high in sugar can accelerate the formation of AGEs. For example, those who suffer from diabetes will have greater amounts of AGEs. This is because the background level of sugar in the tissues is excessively high. It causes greater binding of glycated sugar to the collagen filaments. 

Avoid foods that are high in sugar or carbohydrates. These include sweets, processed foods, fruit juices, and white bread. Opt for a balanced nutritional approach that focuses on high protein and fiber, such as those found in fruit and vegetables. It’s all relative though. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat those foods, you just have to assess your risk and determine whether you can tolerate them or not.

2. Consume foods rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants scavenge for unstable molecules that cause oxidative damage. They also help repair damage cause by glycation. Some examples include green tea, berries, and avocados.

3. Stay moving. Exercise increases circulation within the tissues but can also maintain blood sugar levels by limiting the buildup of glucose in the blood. Muscle is the largest glucose sink in the body. Be sure to focus on strengthening and conditioning your muscles through resistance training to mitigate the effects of glucose. 

Engaging in a consistent exercise routine also helps maintain the health of the collagen matrix by allowing them to orient themselves in the correct position. Specific inputs for the tissue gives direction to the collagen. For example, if you squat every week, cartilage in the knee will solicit collagen formation to account for the extra tension. Exercise is necessary to deliver the collagen to the tissue. This will keep the knee healthy so it can continue to bend. Lack of movement accelerates glycation and stiffness of the tissue, which of course will limit how far you can bend the knee. Exercising at least 3 days a week with a mix of resistance training, aerobic conditioning, and mobility work will keep those tissues healthy and flexible.

4. Increase protein/collagen intake. Whether its bone broth or fresh meat, consider eating more collagen. Eating foods that support collagen production and replacement will allow the body to recover much faster. Research has found that an injured tissue can repair twice as fast if it has a good supply of collagen. Most of the literature suggests 2.5-15 grams daily. Oh and its not that difficult to get your intake without purchasing an expensive supplement. For reference, sardines has about 5 grams of collagen, and both bone broth and pork rinds contain about 10 grams per serving.



While glycation, as a natural process can't be stopped, you can take the steps now to slow down the process. Additionally, it can be reversed to some extent. I wouldn't be afraid of eating a seared steak. It's a numbers game when you think about AGEs and if they have a negative affect on the body. Most people aren't eating grilled steak every day. More than likely they are consuming various amounts of sugar and carbohydrates on a daily basis. The key here is to make healthy choices with your lifestyle in order to outpace and alleviate the impact of Advanced Glycation End Products.