Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs) and Aging

Our daily diets and cooking methods may be silently accelerating how we age. This presentation, “The AGEs That Age You,” uncovers the fascinating science behind Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs), toxic compounds that accumulate in the body when sugars react with proteins or fats.

Drawing on nutrition research and public health insights, it explains:
- What AGEs are and how they form
- How they damage cells, collagen, and organs
- Their link to aging, diabetes, heart disease, and neurodegeneration
- The difference between dietary AGEs and those formed within the body
- Practical tips to reduce AGE exposure through food choices and cooking techniques

Special attention is given to the Sri Lankan dietary context, exploring how common cooking methods and modern food habits may increase AGE formation, and what can be done to protect long-term health.

1. AGEs and Aging What’s the connection?

2. What are AGEs? Harmful molecules produced in the body during metabolic processes ( Glycotoxins ) Basta et al. Advanced glycation end products and vascular inflammation: implications for accelerated atherosclerosis in diabetes. Cardiovascular Research. 2004; 63: 582-592.

3. AGE Advanced Glycation End products Glucose Protein

4. AGE Glyceraldehyde + Glu + Lipids + Protein Glyceraldehyde + Lipids + Protein Methylglyoxal + Lipids + Protein Acetaldehyde + Lipids + Protein

5. Lipid peroxidation AGE Sorbitol Fructose Oxoaldehydes AGE Amino group + Glu Schiff base Amadori product AGE Formation of AGEs: Pathways 01 02 03 Maillard reaction Polyol pathway Lipid peroxidation

6. Amino group + Glu Schiff base Amadori product AGE 01 Maillard reaction Lipid peroxidation AGE Sorbitol Fructose Oxoaldehydes AGE 02 03 Polyol pathway Lipid peroxidation Formation of AGEs: Pathways

7. AGE Advanced Glycation End products Glucose Protein Glucose + Haemoglobin HbA1 C AGE ( Amadori product)

8. Sorbitol Fructose Oxoaldehydes AGE 02 Polyol pathway Amino group + Glu Schiff base Amadori product AGE 01 Maillard reaction Lipid peroxidation AGE 03 Lipid peroxidation Formation of AGEs: Pathways

9. Lipid peroxidation AGE 03 Lipid peroxidation Sorbitol Fructose Oxoaldehydes AGE Amino group + Glu Schiff base Amadori product AGE 01 02 Maillard reaction Polyol pathway Formation of AGEs: Pathways

10. Dietary/ Exogenous DIET is the main source Biological/ Endogenous Formed during the physiological glycation processes in the organs, tissues and body fluids Diabetes Mellitus – Eg : HbA1 C Chronic Renal Failure (lack of excretion of waste products) Liver disease Alcohol Cigarettes High omega 6 fatty acid diet MOST IMPORTANT: Keep Glucose low SOLUTION: Fasting!

11. Dietary/ Exogenous DIET is the main source Biological/ Endogenous Formed during the physiological glycation processes in the organs, tissues and body fluids Dicarbonyls – Eg : Methylglyoxal (MGO) Boiling, grilling, baking, frying, processed foods, foods having High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), reheating of ready-to-eat foods 90% end up in colon, affecting the microbiome 10% are absorbed into the body 30% are excreted in the urine 60% of what is absorbed ends up in the tissues

12. Impact on the body? Dry/thinning skin Yellowing/ dulling of the eyes Graying/ thinning hair Age spots/ pigmentation Loss of muscle tone in the face and body Stiff joints and decreased flexibility Changes in posture (stooping/ curvature of the spine)

13. Dry/thinning skin and Delayed wound healing Normal process of removing old collagen from the skin is ceased ( Van Putte, De Schrijver and Moortgat, 2016)

14. Yellowing/ dulling of the eyes AGEs bind to Opsin (lens protein) to degenerate formation of light scattering aggregates (Nandi et al ., 2020) Tears of diabetic patients have AGEs (Zhao et al ., 2010)

15. Graying/ thinning hair AGEs d ecrease hair protein, hence breaking strength ( Shimode et al ., 2014) Oxidative stress cause grey hair ( Seiberg , M., , 2015)

16. Age spots/Pigmentation AGEs induce melanogenesis ( Fang et al ., 2022) D ermal AGEs deposition was positively correlated with the yellowish tint of aged skin (Ohshima et al ., 2009)

17. Loss of muscle tone in the face and body Glycation-related cross-linking of, intramuscular connective tissue and the raised levels of inflammation and oxidative stress in muscle caused by binding of AGEs to Receptors of AGE (RAGE) (Guo et al ., 2025)

18. Accelerating age by AGEs Diabetes Mellitus (HbA1 C ) Nowotny al ., 2015 Ischemic Heart Diseases and Atherosclerosis Kilhovd et al., 1999 Xu et al., 2003 Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Infertility Gill et al., 2019 Dementia Severity in Schizophrenia D’Cunha et al., 2022

19. How much is good to go? Daily recommended AGEs limit 15,000 kU /day ( Uribarri et al. , 2010)

20. AGEs in selected foods Cao et al., 2024 ; Ottum et al., 2015; Perrone & Grant, 2015; Uribarri et al. , 2010 Food item AGE Content ( kU / 100g ) Food item AGE Content ( kU / 100g ) Steak, pan fried with olive oil 10,058 Poached, skinless chicken breast 1,000 Chicken breast (with skin, breaded, deep fried ) 10,000 Raw chicken breast 800 Chicken breast (with skin, breaded, oven fried ) 9,961 Tuna, solid white (packed in water) 452 American Cheese 8,000 Ice cream 352 Olive oil heated at 100°C for 5 min 6,295 Chocolate pudding 16 Margarine 6,229 Vegetable oil 10.0 Fresh olive oil 5,852 Tree nuts 5.5 Raw beef 4,928 Yoghurt 3 Grilled Chicken 4,848 Soya beans 1.5 Salmon, broiled with Olive oil 4,334 Legumes 0.2 Fried egg 2,749 Fruits 0.1 Crackers 2,176 Starchy roots 0.07 Cupcake 1133 Rice 0.03

21. Inhibitors of AGEs Natural Synthetic Curcumin Alpha lipoic acid Flavanoids Celery Red pepper Parsley Chamomile Mint Green tea Quercetin Resveratrol Metformin NSAID Benfotiamine Pyridoxamine Naringenine Hesperidine

22. Inhibitors of AGEs Natural Synthetic Curcumin Alpha lipoic acid Flavanoids Celery Red pepper Parsley Chamomile Mint Green tea Quercetin Resveratrol Metformin NSAID Benfotiamine Pyridoxamine Naringenine Hesperidine

23. Inhibitors of AGEs Natural Synthetic Curcumin Alpha lipoic acid Flavanoids Ginko Celery Red pepper Parsley Chamomile Mint Green tea Quercetin Resveratrol Metformin NSAID Benfotiamine Pyridoxamine Naringenine Hesperidine

24. Final bites of wisdom! High T and low moisture leads to AGEs Avoid brownish foods Avoid highly processed foods Avoid foods cooked for long time Limit grilled, baked, fried foods Eat more fruits and vegetables Eat more natural/low or unprocessed foods

25. Final bites of wisdom! High T and low moisture leads to AGEs Avoid brownish foods Avoid highly processed foods Avoid foods cooked for long time Limit grilled, baked, fried foods Eat more fruits and vegetables Eat more natural/low or unprocessed foods