How Sugar Affects Your Skin: 5 Science-Backed Effects on Skin Health
With Halloween recently past, I was definitely guilty of a huge sugar binge. How can one resist!? …But unfortunately, there are many ways that high sugar consumption can negatively impact skin health and appearance. In this post, we’ll go over:
How does sugar impact your skin?
1. Premature Aging Through Glycation
High sugar intake triggers a process called glycation in your skin cells. During glycation, excess sugar molecules bind to proteins in your skin, forming harmful compounds known as Advanced Glycation End Products, or “AGEs” (how fitting, right? 🙄). These AGEs damage collagen and elastin – the essential proteins that keep your skin firm, plump, and youthful - and an increase in AGEs in the skin have been shown to cause problems such as decreased skin elasticity, deeper wrinkles, and increased pigmentation. Studies have also confirmed that AGEs not only accelerate skin aging but also impair your skin’s natural healing processes. [1]
2. Skin Inflammation
High sugar consumption can trigger systemic inflammation that also affects your skin health. For example, research has found that diets high in refined sugars significantly increase acne breakouts and skin inflammation through multiple pathways, including elevated insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) production [2]. This sugar-induced inflammation may then lead to:
Skin redness and irritation
Longer healing times for skin conditions
Worsened skin conditions in general (including breakouts)
3. Weakened Skin Barrier Function
In line with the increased systemic inflammation, research has also shown that when your blood sugar levels rise, your skin's protective barrier takes a hit. This disruption to your skin barrier’s integrity and function can then lead to:
Increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and decreased skin moisture
Altered / abnormal protein expression in the epidermis, causing “thinner” skin that is more susceptible to irritation
Decreased skin cell turnover
These changes make your skin more vulnerable to environmental damage, pollution, and premature aging. [3]
4. Excessive Oil Production and Clogged Pores
Have you ever noticed that when you eat sugar, your skin seems more oily? Studies have shown that sugar can exacerbate oiliness of the skin in some people. Sugar / a high-glycemic diet spikes insulin levels, which can lead to a cascade of hormone fluctuations, including ones that impact sebum (oil) production in your skin. This can present itself as:
Increased sebum production rates
Changes to oil composition across your face
Pore congestion, which can cause textured skin
Acne development
These findings explain why cutting sugar often leads to clearer skin. [4]
5. Skin Dehydration
It’s common knowledge that not drinking enough water is inexplicably linked to dehydration throughout your body, including your skin. However, did you know that eating too much sugar can also dehydrate your skin? Two ways it does this include:
Increasing urine output - when you eat a lot of sugar, your body tries to rid itself of the excess sugar by sending it out in your pee. However, whenever you pee, you also lose fluid; and doing so too often can result in dehydration.
Redirecting water from your cells: When you eat a lot of sugar, it increases the concentration of sugar that gets absorbed into your bloodstream. Your body compensates by drawing water from inside your cells and other sources and sending it into your bloodstream to balance the sugar concentration. This decrease in water in your cells manifests as dehyration and symptoms like dry skin.
This sugar-induced dehydration may ultimately result in dull skin, more visible fine lines, and loss of that healthy skin glow.
Tips to Protect Your Skin from Sugar Damage
Minimizing sugar in our lives would probably be best for our skin. However, I totally understand that that’s unrealistic (and would make for a sad time). Luckily, there are some simple practices that we can incorporate into our everyday lives to help decrease the impact of sugar on our skin. Below are some of those simple ways to protect our skin from sugar damage:
Follow a low-glycemic diet
Why it helps: Low-glycemic foods, such as nuts, fish, and avocado, cause slower, smaller rises in blood sugar, which are less likely to contribute to skin damage and inflammation.
Choose complex carbohydrates over refined sugars
Why it helps: High-glycemic foods such as refined sugars cause very fast and drastic spikes in blood sugar, which can trigger glycation, damaging collagen and elastin in the skin, and leading to wrinkles and sagging.
Decrease the blood sugar spike from foods you eat
Why it helps: Slowing down and decreasing the blood sugar spike from your food creates less of an insulin spike in your body, thereby decreasing the downstream impact of sugar on your hormones and preventing resulting symptoms such as skin oiliness and inflammation.
A couple ways to regulate your blood sugar spike include:
Taking a quick walk after eating
Starting your meal with fiber
Making sure that you have a good balance of protein and fat with your carbs
Stay hydrated with at least 8 glasses of water daily
Why it helps: Proper hydration supports skin elasticity, helps prevent dry skin, and can reduce the appearance of blemishes and irritation linked to high sugar intake.
Use antioxidant-rich skincare products
Why it helps: Antioxidants (both eaten and applied topically) can help combat the inflammation and oxidative stress caused by high sugar consumption
Follow a consistent skincare routine!
If you need some guidance on how to get started, check out:
And there you have it…there is a clear link between sugar consumption and your skin’s health. While the occasional slice of chocolate cake may not ruin your skin overnight, consistently eating a high sugar diet can have a significant negative impact your skin's health and appearance. Remember… everything in moderation! Hopefully with this info, you can make more informed choices about your sugar intake and adapt your diet and lifestyle for improved skin health. 🎂