You’ve probably noticed that sugar is sticky. Surprisingly, that simple observation helps explain why diabetes can damage nearly every organ in the body.

A common blood test, the hemoglobin A1C, demonstrates this process. Hemoglobin is the protein inside red blood cells that carries oxygen. When blood sugar levels are elevated, glucose attaches,or sticks to hemoglobin. The higher the blood sugar and the longer it remains elevated, the more glucose sticks.

Unfortunately, glucose doesn’t just stick to hemoglobin. It attaches to proteins throughout the body in a process called glycation. Once coated with sugar, these proteins become stiff, distorted, and less able to perform their normal functions.

This is where many diabetic complications begin. Blood vessels lose their elasticity, contributing to high blood pressure and making it easier for cholesterol to accumulate, accelerating atherosclerosis. Heart muscle proteins become less efficient, weakening the heart’s pumping ability. Kidneys lose filtering capacity, increasing the risk of chronic kidney disease.  Eyes, nerves, skin, and other organs also suffer damage as their proteins lose function.

These sugar-damaged proteins are called Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs). As AGEs accumulate, they trigger inflammation and toxic stress, further accelerating aging and tissue damage.

AGEs are formed not only inside the body from chronically elevated blood sugar but are also abundant in many highly processed foods. Cooking methods matter as well. High-temperature, dry-heat cooking—such as frying, grilling, broiling, and charring—produces more AGEs than gentler cooking methods.  Amazingly, cooking using methods such as steaming, poaching, boiling, stewing, all done at lower temperatures, and marinating foods with acidic ingredients such as lemon juice or vinegar, all reduce age formation.

The body is an amazing organism. Your diligence in the maintenance of this organism is vitally important.

Dr. Charlie Barnett is a contributor to KnoxTNToday, where he writes the weekly column DocTalk, sharing his expertise in health and wellness.

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