Researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York have been looking in to the link between advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) and degenerative diseases such as diabetes and Alzheimer’s. AGEs naturally exist in the body at low levels.
However, not surprisingly, consuming foods with high levels of AGEs increases the body’s overall levels therefore raising the risk of these diseases. It also increases premature ageing.
Research was undertaken with mice and a typical Western Diet – high in saturated fats, red meats and “empty” carbohydrates, and low in seafood, poultry, whole grains and fresh fruit and vegetables.?? This represents a diet typically high in AGEs.
Mice that consumed foods with high levels of AGEs demonstrated high levels of AGEs in their brains and such levels suppressed a substance called SIRT1 in both the blood and the brain. SIRT1 is a part of the hormone system of Sirtuin production. Sirtuins are known to increase longevity. Hence suppression of sirtuins would likely cause premature ageing. This conclusion was seen in the mice.
