Can cutting out carbs prevent ageing?

“No-carb” is a popular topic among beauty enthusiasts who seek to prevent skin ageing. Many people believe that the no-carb diet touted by celebrities and social media influencers is the key to slowing down the production of AGEs and thereby ageing.

What is AGEs？

AGEs stands for Advanced Glycation End-products, which are harmful substances that accumulate in the body through the natural process where sugar molecules get attached to protein or fat molecules.

Increased levels of AGEs are often associated with many age-related skin problems, from the reduced production of collagen, which causes sagging and wrinkle formation, to the production of age spots, which are flat brown or black spots that appear on the skin as we get older. In fact, the accumulation of AGEs is not only associated with skin ageing but also closely related to the pathogenesis of some diseases such as diabetes and atherosclerosis – the build-up of plaque in our blood vessels and arteries!

How about give up staple foods and sugar ?

Giving up sugar or staple foods alone, however, is not enough to prevent the production of AGEs because there are other external factors that contribute to their production, such as cigarette smoke, UV radiation, and air pollution. Furthermore, the way we cook or the food we eat can also increase the production of AGEs in our body. Eating uncooked animal products is a common cause for AGEs production, but more surprisingly, foods that are grilled, roasted, baked and fried also accelerate the formation of new AGEs!

Other than AGEs

To fully take advantage of the anti-ageing effect of no-carb, it is equally important to pair your low-carb diet with the controlled intake of antioxidants and various vitamins such as vitamins A, C, and E to further reduce the formation and accumulation of AGEs. Not to mention, to quit smoking, go sunbathing and ideally not to live in places with high levels of pollution like crowded cities, is highly advisable.