Ep 328 – The Rogue Pharmacist: Glycation and Skin Aging

Summary

ASCP Esty Talk: Ep 328 – The Rogue Pharmacist: Glycation and Skin Aging

Release Date: June 6, 2025

In Episode 328 of ASCP Esty Talk, hosted by the Associated Skin Care Professionals, Maggie Stasik, ASTP's Program Director, engages in an enlightening discussion with Ben Fuchs, a skincare formulator and pharmacist known as the Rogue Pharmacist. The episode delves into the intricate relationship between glycation and skin aging, uncovering the science behind this lesser-known yet impactful factor in dermatological health.

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1. Introduction to Glycation and Its Relevance

The conversation kicks off with Maggie emphasizing the growing awareness of glycation as a significant contributor to aging, beyond its well-known implications in diabetes. She draws parallels between the browning of toast and the body's internal processes to illustrate glycation's effects.

Maggie Stasik [01:37]: "Glycation is best thought of as browning. [...] When you heat bread in a toaster, the sugars and the protein in the bread react with each other and you get a browning effect."

2. What is Glycation?

Maggie provides a comprehensive definition of glycation, explaining it as the reaction between sugars and proteins or fats in the body, leading to the formation of Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs). She highlights glycation as a hallmark of the aging process, affecting various organs and systems.

Maggie Stasik [02:30]: "Glycation is a marker of the aging process. [...] it's one of the hallmark signs of aging is browning."

3. Glycation's Impact on Health and Skin

The discussion transitions to the detrimental effects of glycation on both internal health and skin appearance. Maggie explains how glycation leads to the breakdown of collagen, resulting in wrinkles and loss of skin elasticity. Additionally, she links glycation to serious health issues like heart disease and liver deterioration.

Maggie Stasik [02:50]: "Glycation in the skin is responsible for wrinkles, for breakdown of collagen, breakdown of any protein."

4. Causes of Glycation

Maggie identifies elevated blood sugar levels and insulin resistance as primary drivers of glycation. She provides alarming statistics on sugar consumption, illustrating how excessive intake leads to sustained high blood sugar levels, thereby accelerating the glycation process.

Maggie Stasik [04:50]: "If you drink a Coke, you now have drank 12 teaspoons of sugar. [...] When you think about it in those terms, you could see why we have such a problem with elevated blood sugar."

5. Strategies to Minimize Glycation

a. Dietary Management

Maggie emphasizes reducing sugar intake as the most effective strategy to combat glycation. She advises incorporating fiber into meals to slow sugar absorption and prevent spikes in blood sugar levels.

Maggie Stasik [07:30]: "Keeping your sugar down through intake, through reducing intake, is the most important strategy for reducing glycation."

b. Strengthening Insulin Function

Building muscle mass through exercise is highlighted as a key method to enhance insulin sensitivity, thereby aiding in blood sugar regulation.

Maggie Stasik [08:15]: "Building muscle is one of the best ways you can sensitize your insulin."

c. Nutritional Supplements

Several supplements are recommended for their roles in potentiating insulin or assisting the body in handling sugar, including chromium, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B3 (niacin), selenium, and fiber.

Maggie Stasik [09:45]: "Chromium, vanadium, probably I don't want to say the best, but one of the best is vitamin B1, thiamine, vitamin B3, niacin, sulfur, selenium."

6. Topical Approaches to Prevent Glycation

The conversation shifts to skincare practices that can mitigate the effects of glycation on the skin. Maggie discusses the benefits of various topical agents:

• Retinol: Recognized as one of the best anti-glycating agents.
• Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs): Assist in reducing glycation.
• Niacin and Hyaluronic Acid: Offer anti-glycating benefits.
• Peptides (e.g., Arginine and Lysine): Protect against topical glycation.

Maggie Stasik [10:15]: "Retinol is one of the best topical anti glycating agents. [...] High hyaluronic acid may have some topical anti glycating benefits as well."

She also underscores the importance of sun protection, recommending zinc oxide to prevent heat-induced glycation.

Maggie Stasik [11:30]: "Sun protection will also help slow down glycation because heat speeds up the glycation process."

7. Broader Implications of Glycation on Skin Conditions

Maggie explores how glycation exacerbates skin issues like acne by causing sebum rancidity and inflammation. She suggests that antioxidants like vitamin E and selenium can protect sebum from glycation-related damage.

Maggie Stasik [11:50]: "If your blood sugar's elevated, sebum will glycate and that can accelerate the rancidity of sebum, which can cause inflammatory issues in the follicle for folks who are dealing with acne."

8. Conclusion: Empowering Voluntary Control

Concluding the episode, Maggie reiterates that while glycation poses significant challenges, individuals have control over their sugar intake and, consequently, their glycation levels. She encourages proactive lifestyle and skincare choices to maintain youthful and healthy skin.

Maggie Stasik [12:30]: "Advanced glycation and product formation is almost voluntary in the sense that we have volition in controlling how much sugar we're putting into the body."

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Key Takeaways:

• Glycation is a critical yet often overlooked factor in skin aging and overall health.
• Reducing sugar intake is paramount in minimizing glycation and its adverse effects.
• Strengthening insulin sensitivity through diet and exercise can significantly combat glycation.
• Topical treatments like retinol and AHAs can protect the skin from glycation-induced damage.
• Sun protection is essential to prevent heat-accelerated glycation processes.
• Individuals have the power to control glycation through informed lifestyle and skincare choices.

This episode serves as a valuable resource for estheticians and skincare professionals, providing actionable insights into combating skin aging through the management of glycation.

Transcript

[Benjamin Fuchs]

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[Maggie Stasik]

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[Benjamin Fuchs]

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[Ben Fuchs]

Hello and welcome to ASCP and the Rogue Pharmacist with Benjamin Night Fuchs. In each episode, we will explore how internal and external factors can impact the skin. I'm Maggie Stasik, ASTP's program director and joining me is Ben Fuchs, skincare formulator and pharmacist. Hey, Ben.

[Maggie Stasik]

Hello, Maggie.

[Ben Fuchs]

Glycation is a lesser known factor in skin aging, but can have a big impact. Ben, break it down for us and how we can minimize its effects.

[Maggie Stasik]

Okay, so you know, it's funny you say lesser because more and more people are starting to recognize that glycation is a problem. We learned about it in pharmacy school, actually. Not necessarily in terms of the skin, but in terms of aging. And as, as we age, our bodies glycate. Glycation is best thought of as browning. And if you want a good visual of glycation, think of toast. When you heat bread in a toaster, the sugars and the protein in the bread react with each other and you get a browning effect. Same thing happens when you brown meat. Sugars in the, when you cook meat, I should say the sugars in the, in the meat combine with the protein in the meat and you get a browning effect. This happens to the body. This browning effect is called glycation and it's basically the end result of sugar. Sugar's reaction to protein, also to fats. Sugar can react with. To a lesser extent, mostly to proteins. And the sugar reaction with fats or with protein is called glycation. In fact, scientists have a very fancy way of referring to glycation in the body. They call these glycation end products, advanced glycation end products. And they do that to be very clever. We scientists are clever, and to imply that it's associated with aging. And it is associated with aging. In fact, it's one of the hallmark signs of aging is browning. And if you were to take. If you were to examine the lung tissue, for example, of an older person compared to the lung person of a younger person, the lung tissue of a younger person, you'd see browning. Glycation is a marker of the aging process. And anything you could do to slow down glycation will slow down the aging process. Glycation in the skin is responsible for wrinkles, for breakdown of collagen, breakdown of any protein. In fact, any protein in the body is susceptible to this glycation process. And while it occurs, it can occur to the protein in the skin and cause cosmetic problems. It can occur to the protein in your blood vessels and wreak havoc on the vascular system. And it's one of the reasons why we have heart disease. Glycation can occur in the various organs, and it's why our livers deteriorate. So keeping your blood sugar low is critical. Sugar is very, very explosive. Do you ever get a sugar burn? Do you ever cook pastry or caramel?

[Ben Fuchs]

Oh, yeah, sure. Okay.

[Maggie Stasik]

It burns hot. I remember reading about a fire in a sugar factory in Florida. It was a little small town, and they had to bring in fire engines from, like, towns all over the vicinity. And they couldn't put the fire out for four days because sugar burns so hot. It's very explosive. When we were kids, I never did this, but I saw kids do this. They would put sugar in people's gas tanks. You ever hear this?

[Ben Fuchs]

Oh, no.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah. And it would destroy the gas tank. Yeah. Because sugar is just explosive, sticky stuff. And keeping your blood sugar stable or low is very important. We have a hormone in the body that does just that, because through. From an evolutionary perspective, the body couldn't have high concentrations of sugar. And as soon as sugar levels reach a certain point in the blood, insulin comes to the rescue and pulls out the sugar for the blood to keep the. Keep the blood sugar low. Today we have a problem with insulin resistance, which is, you know, if not the most important health challenge that Americans have To deal with. It's right up there. Insulin resistance is when your body doesn't listen to insulin. And so instead of pulling the sugar out of the blood, the sugar levels stay high, and this leads to increased glycation, increased advanced glycase, glycosylated end products, and increased disease and shortened longevity. So glycation is a huge health issue. And keeping your sugar down through intake, through reducing intake, is the most important strategy for reducing glycation. You can also strengthen your insulin. That's another important strategy. And there's wonderful nutritional supplements, and there's certain nutritional supplements that everybody should be using, whether or not they've been diagnosed as a diabetic. Diabetes, by the way, is the disease of elevated blood sugar. That's the disease where your blood sugar stays elevated and keeping or insulin resistance. Your body not listening or cells not listening to insulin is one of the reasons that happens. Of course, the crazy amount of sugar that we eat also has an impact on elevated blood sugar. Just to give you kind of a visual. And if you're healthy, you have maybe a teaspoon or even less, three quarters of a teaspoonful of sugar in your. Your entire gallon of blood, or so it's not quite a gallon, but you have a little over a gallon of blood, a gallon of blood in your body. You have maybe a teaspoon of sugar a little less than a teaspoon. If you drink a Coke, you now have drank 12 teaspoons of sugar. Most of it's gonna go into your blood. If you have two Cokes, that's 24 teaspoonfuls. If you have a bowl of Cheerios or cereal with sugar on top of it, that's another six teaspoonfuls. If you have a Twinkie, that's another ten teaspoons of sugar. I mean, the amount of sugar that we're ingesting and putting into our bloodstream, that's only supposed to have one teaspoon of sugar in it, approximately. When you think about it in those terms, you could see why we have such a problem with elevated blood sugar and because insulin is constantly working, why the cells stop listening to insulin, and why we have to deal with insulin resistance. So keeping your sugar low, your intake of sugar low, is critical. And it's funny, because glycation, as significant as it is as a source of aging as well as cosmetic distress, because it's this a source of wrinkles and accelerated aging of the skin, it's kind of voluntary when you think about it. I mean, yeah, we're addicted to sugar and it's delicious and we need a certain amount of sugar, but it's not like somebody's forcing us to ingest sugar. It's kind of like a voluntary thing. So keeping your sugar down, as hard as that is ensure ingestion down, is really important. Strengthening your insulin is also very important. Luckily, there's great nutritional strategies you can use. For example, and this is for anybody who's pre diabetic. And just because you haven't been, you've been told you're not a diabetic, doesn't mean you don't have what's called dysglycemia. See, diabetes is a met is a diagnosis based on a metric. So if you have a blood sugar level of around 120mg of sugar per deciliter of blood, you're officially a diabetic. But if you're at 119.9999-9999, the doctor will say, oh, you're fine, you're okay. Which obviously is pretty silly. You know, the spec blood sugar issues.

[Benjamin Fuchs]

Occur on a spectrum.

[Maggie Stasik]

It's not just cut and dry. Sometimes it's a binary. So yeah, diabetes is binary. You either have it or you don't. But dysglycemia, dys meaning disturbances, glyce, meaning sugar emia in the blood, dysglycemia, disturbances in blood sugar, disturbances of sugar in the blood, that is a progressive issue. And even today they'll call it pre diabetes. So even if you haven't been diagnosed as a diabetic, you very well could be dysglycemic. And one of the best things you could do if you're dysglycemic and you want to keep your blood sugar down, drink water that will dilute your sugar. And anybody who's dysglycemic or has diabetes or pre diabetes will know that if they take their blood sugar, test their blood sugar in the morning, they'll find that their blood sugar concentration's higher because in the evening you've urinated a couple times, you sweated out, you haven't drank any water for six or eight hours. So your blood is concentrated and the sugar is concentrated, the blood sugar concentration is higher. Drinking water is a great way to dilute your blood sugar concentration. Also, building muscle muscle is one of the best ways you can sensitize your insulin. So people who are diabetic should be going to the gym or dysglycemic should be going to the gym. That's another way to lower your Blood sugar. And then there's incredibly valuable nutritional supplements for helping with glycation. When I say helping with glycation, I mean helping with helping with blood sugar, helping lower blood sugar. Chromium, vanadium, probably I don't want to say the best, but one of the best is vitamin B1, thiamine, vitamin B3, niacin, sulfur, selenium. These are all great ways to either potentize your insulin or to help your body handle sugar, also fiber with your meals. In fact, one of the problems with Glyca or with elevated blood sugar is a lot of us are ingesting sugar with no fiber. You know, Jamba juice and these fruit juices, horrible in terms of blood sugar because you're getting a big dose of sugar that goes right into your bloodstream without the fiber. So you gotta be careful about that as well. And then there's things that you can use topically to slow down glycation. Interestingly, retinol is one of the best topical anti glycating agents. And if you're concerned about topical glycation, retinol is something you want to consider also alpha hydroxy acids. And people don't think of alpha hydroxy acids or retinol as having anti glycating benefits, but they do. Niacin, Topical niacin has anti glycating benefits. High hyaluronic acid may have some topical anti glycating benefits as well. There's also a, it's a. I don't know if you'd call it an amino acid, but it's similar to amino acids called carnosine. Have you heard of this?

[Ben Fuchs]

I have, yeah.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah. Carnosine is a great anti glycating agent. Vitamin C is anti glycating. Vitamin E might be anti. Actually these are antioxidants which will support anti glycation. They're not directly anti glycating, but antioxidants will help. Sun protection will also help slow down glycation because heat speeds up the glycation process. So using sun protection, I like zinc oxide. There's a really interesting substance called aminoguanidine which you can't really find because it's got a some side effects that might help. And then peptides, there's certain peptides like arginine and lysine. Peptides may help you with these are, these are for topical application. They may help you protect against topical topical glycation. Also, while glycation of proteins is the most significant place where you have to worry about these advanced glycan end products, lipids and fats can also glycate. So if you your blood sugar's elevated, sebum will glycate and that can accelerate the rancidity of sebum, which can cause inflammatory issues in the follicle for folks who are dealing with acne. So glycation may impact acne patients. Using vitamin E can help protect your sebum. Using selenium can also help protect your sebum. And then also if your skin barrier is compromised, you may be more susceptible to glycation reactions to strengthening the skin barrier. Again, using retinoids or alpha hydroxy acids can help there and that can also help stabilize the formation of the barrier vis a vis helping support effective differentiation or maturation of skin cells as they're rising from the bottom to the top. But the absolute best way to avoid glycation issues? Keep your sugar down. And as I said earlier, nobody's forcing us to eat sugar. So it's almost like it's voluntary. Advanced glycation and product formation is almost voluntary in the sense that we have volition in controlling how much sugar we're putting into the body and ultimately how much glycation is going to occur.

[Ben Fuchs]

That concludes our show for today, and we thank you for listening. But if you just can't get enough of Ben Fuchs, the ASCP's rogue pharmacist, you can find [e-mail] for more information on this episode, or for ways to connect with Ben Fuchs or to learn more about ascp, check out the show notes.