We all know excessive sugar is bad for our health but just how disruptive is the sweet stuff to our skin? Long term, a less than nutrient rich diet loaded with sugar can lead to visible premature ageing (aka loss of elasticity and structure) as well as trigger skin inflammation. Add to that, eating foods which sends our blood sugar levels peaking can lead to potential acne flare-ups. If you’re looking to conquer those sweet craving, and understand its impact on skin, read our guide by senior nutritionist Corin Sadler.
Sugar has been sneaking into our food consistently since the industrial revolution, programming our brains and palate to desire more of the sweet stuff. But it’s not just sugar, its high glycaemic foods overall. These are foods such as refined carbohydrates (white rice and white pasta), sweet fruit like bananas, and potatoes which broken down by the gut into sugars and absorbed to become blood glucose (or blood sugar) at an extremely rapid rate. A sugar dump into the blood triggers insulin and adrenaline secretions causing a rollercoaster ride of peaks and troughs in energy, concentration, mood, cognitive function, stress and inflammation. Longer-term we know this plays a role in insulin resistance and type II diabetes, weight gain and cardiovascular health, but it also has a potential effect on our skin too.
Sugar related ageing
Often when we think of ageing, we think of wrinkled skin and the loss of skin elasticity, and for good reason - a primary cause of wrinkled skin is a process called glycation. This where sugar attaches to protein molecules, causing advanced glycation end products (AGE) which cause proteins in the skin, collagen and elastin to cross link, damaging the fibres. This results in loss of structure and elasticity, causing skin to sag and wrinkle. Sugar related ageing by AGEs is also highly inflammatory and triggers a vicious cycle of oxidative stress, further damaging skin and perpetuating inflammation.
Take away: Excess sugar contributes to the formation of AGEs (advanced glycation end products) which breaks down collagen and other processes leading to accelerated ageing.
A marker of premature cellular ageing is telomere length; telomeres form a cap over the end of DNA almost like the protective plastic end to a shoelace. Each time DNA is copied the telomeres shorten, and research is linking the rate of this shortening to some aspects of how quickly our organs and body age. Accelerated loss of telomere length has been associated with excessive sugar intake. Interestingly, results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey indicate and association between sugary drink intake and ageing.
Take away: Regular consumption of sugar is associated with accelerated DNA ageing.
Acne and imbalances
The relationship between diet and acne has been highly discussed and disputed; this was partially fuelled by flawed research studies. However, more recent research has provided strong support for diet as a potential influence on acne development. Research shows foods with high glycaemic load creates a vicious cycle of blood sugar peaks and corresponding insulin secretion which inhibits normal hormone conversion. This causes increased circulating androgens like testosterone which increases sebaceous secretions and acne.
Interestingly, researchers have counter-tested the link between the often high glycaemic Western diet and acne. they reported that acne was absent in native non-Westernised populations, such as in Papua New Guinea and Paraguay. Other research found acne improved when acne prone individuals followed a low glycaemic diet.
Take away: Spikes in blood sugar levels, from eating a high glycaemic diet, can trigger a rise in insulin, which increases inflammation and promotes acne development.
Diabetic psoriasis crisis
Type II diabetes (DMTII) is closely linked to poor blood sugar control and insulin resistance brought about by a typical high glycaemic Western diet; similarly, sufferers are more likely to develop psoriasis. Insulin resistance is an often progressive drop in the cells of the body being able to respond to insulin. It is thought that the inflammation of insulin resistance triggers skin inflammation and the excessive skin cell production that occurs in psoriasis.
Take away: Poor blood sugar control and insulin resistance can trigger skin inflammation and other skin related conditions.
Cutting sugar for clearer, younger looking skin
Cutting added sugar and controlling sugar intake and any associated cravings is the first step to healthy looking skin and reducing the risk of premature ageing and skin conditions. Sugar can have addictive qualities and a hard habit to kick, but by cutting it out your taste buds do retrain and cravings reduce. Some foods clearly contain high sugar levels but be label savvy for those more hidden sugars in unexpected foods.
How to stop those sugar cravings
Nutrients such as chromium and cinnamon can make reducing sugar and balancing blood sugar easier.
Cinnamon has been clinically studied for its positive effects in blood glucose(or blood sugar) management and reducing insulin resistance. Regularly including Ceylon cinnamon or true cinnamon helps influence the body’s glucose receptors, potentially reducing insulin resistance and blood glucose levels. The role of chromium in blood glucose control and insulin resistance is similar to that of cinnamon.
So, alongside your usual skin support nutrients, choose a supplement containing these to help maintain normal blood glucose levels.
If you’re looking to cut out sugar, then find more about diet, supplement and lifestyle advice by calling into your local independent Health Store to discuss your options. Find your nearest one at www.findahealthstore.com
Author: Corin Sadler BSc, DipION, FDSc is a Medical Herbalist and Senior Nutritionist at ethical vitamin company Viridian Nutrition. She has a Degree in Clinical Herbalism, and a Diploma and Foundation Degree in Nutritional Therapy.
References
April W. Armstrong, MD, MPH; Caitlin T. Harskamp, BA; Ehrin J. Armstrong, MD, MSc Psoriasis and the Risk of Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Cathy E. Elks, Robert A. Scott. The Long and Short of Telomere Length and Diabetes
Diabetes Jan 2014, 63 (1) 65-67; DOI: 10.2337/db13-1469
Danby FW. Nutrition and aging skin: sugar and glycation. Clin Dermatol. 2010 Jul-Aug;28(4):409-11. doi: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2010.03.018.
Katta, R., & Desai, S. P. (2014). Diet and Dermatology: The Role of Dietary Intervention in Skin Disease. The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 7(7), 46–51.
Kwon HH, Yoon JY, Hong JS, et al. Clinical and histological effect of a low glycaemic load diet in treatment of acne vulgaris in Korean patients: a randomized, controlled trial. Acta Derm Venereol. 2012;92(3):241–246.
Leung CW, Laraia BA, Needham BL, Rehkopf DH, Adler NE, Lin J, Blackburn EH, Epel ES. Soda and cell aging: associations between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and leukocyte telomere length in healthy adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Am J Public Health. 2014 Dec;104(12):2425-31. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302151. Epub 2014 Oct 16.
Mehta NN, Azfar RS, Shin DB, et al. Patients with severe psoriasis are at increased risk of cardiovascular mortality: cohort study using the general practice research database. Eur Heart J. 2010;31(8):1000–1006.
Ravichandran Ramasamy, Susan J. Vannucci, Shirley Shi Du Yan, Kevan Herold, Shi Fang Yan, Ann Marie Schmidt; Advanced glycation end products and RAGE: a common thread in aging, diabetes, neurodegeneration, and inflammation, Glycobiology, Volume 15, Issue 7, 1 July 2005, Pages 16R–28R, https://doi.org/10.1093/glycob/cwi053
Spah F. Inflammation in atherosclerosis and psoriasis: common pathogenic mechanisms and the potential for an integrated treatment approach. Br J Dermatol. 2008;1592(Suppl):10–7.
Wang Y, Gao H, Loyd CM, et al. Chronic skin-specific inflammation promotes vascular inflammation and thrombosis. J Invest Dermatol. 2012;132(8):2067–2075.
The information contained in this article is not intended to treat, diagnose or replace the advice of a health practitioner. Please consult a qualified health practitioner if you have a pre-existing health condition or are currently taking medication. Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet.
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