In my clinic, I occasionally use a test called
fructosamine, which measures compounds that result from
glycation and is a reflection of blood sugar control over the
previous two to three weeks, rather than three months.
Unaffected by the varying life spans of red blood cells, this
test can be useful to analyze a discrepancy with the A1C,
i.e., when average blood sugar is changing rapidly due to
dietary adjustment.
Unfortunately, the damage caused by glycation is not
confined to the brain. Glycation is known to promote aging
of the skin, liver, kidneys, heart, and bones.^16 No part of us
is immune. In a sense, your A1C (being directly reflective of
both insulin release and AGE formation) may even indicate
the rate at which you’re aging.
The eyes are a window to another example of glycation-
caused aging, as they contain neurons and other cell types
highly vulnerable to glycation. Cataracts are a clouding of
the lens of the eye and are the principal cause of blindness
worldwide. Scientists know that cataracts can be created in
as little as ninety days in lab animals simply by keeping
their blood sugar high, thereby accelerating glycation.^17
This perhaps explains why diabetics, who have increased
rates of glycation, have up to a fivefold increased risk of
developing cataracts compared to those with normal blood
sugar levels.^18
Not all AGEs are made in the body, however. Some