Sugar vs Skin with Olay

Have a love/hate relationship with sweets and carbs? You’re not alone. Most of us know we should limit these indulgences, but we also crave them, especially when we’re feeling tired or stressed. Here’s why: eating “comfort foods,” like candy or pasta, temporarily raises our level of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood and sleep. And, it turns out that over-indulging in sweets and carbs can make the visible signs of skin aging more apparent.

If sugar levels in the bloodstream spike beyond what insulin can handle, a natural chemical reaction known as glycation occurs. During glycation, excess sugar attaches to skin proteins like collagen, elastin and keratin (the main sources of skin strength and elasticity), leaving them less able to function or repair themselves. “When these essential skin building blocks are impaired, skin becomes drier and less elastic, causing more obvious wrinkles, sagging and dullness,” says Dr. Tomohiro Hakozaki, Ph.D. Research Fellow, Beauty Technology Division at Olay.

A balanced diet is important, but lifestyle factors, like stress and inadequate sleep, take their toll as well. While researching the effects of glycation, Olay scientists made a discovery: high levels of the stress hormone cortisol can increase the effects of glycation by up to 20%, while melatonin (the hormone produced during sleep) can reduce glycation damage by almost half. A good skincare regimen can help fight the effects of glycation too. Adding a product such as Olay Regenerist Micro-sculpting Cream can reduce the appearance of fine lines and boosts hydration.

See the info graphic below from Olay with more information about how heavy sugar consumption can affect skin.

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