The latest catchword in the anti-aging battle is “glycation” – ANTI-glycation, that is.  But what exactly is this molecular crime and why should we be so afraid of it?

It’s all about “AGEs”.  You already know too much sugar is bad for you. Glycation happens when naturally occurring sugar molecules in the body bond to a protein without the controlling action of an enzyme. The result, technically explained by wisegeek.com, is “the formation of rogue molecules known as advanced glycation end products (AGEs).”  The result in layman’s language, is that without the enzymatic regulation, glycation inhibits collagen production.  Collagen loss leads to wrinkles and very expensive trips to esthetic specialists.  Clear enough?

American Dermatologist Frederic Brandt’s products line – Dr. Brandt – was the first to develop anti-glycation products, but the trend has taken off overseas, with a number of European companies developing lines of AGEs fighting serums and creams in 2009, and they are on their way to us here in the US.

French brands Qiriness Carresse Temps, La Roche-Posay, Dr Pierre Ricaud and even Chanel, are offering products that include ingredients found to inhibit the glycation process and stimulate collagen production such as carnosine and green tea extracts.  Carnosine and calcium pyruvate have been found to not only inhibit, but actually degrade those nasty glycated proteins. A US-developed product, Dermal Renu, from Pennsylvania-based Wellness Formulations, uses carnosine, green tea extract, plantago extract (from the plantain leaf) and pueraria mirifica, an herb from Thailand often used in breast enlargement creams.

While the word may be the newest skincare focus, scientists and biologists have been studying the process for years. Glycation’s rogue molecules also play a role in Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes, as well as aging our skin.

So, AGEs is bad any way you look at it.