The College of Glycation is an educational video series dedicated to helping viewers understand one of the most critical and often overlooked processes in human biology: glycation. Led by Dr. Paul Reynolds, Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology at Brigham Young University, this series explores how sugar interacts with proteins and fats in the body, forming harmful compounds called Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs). These compounds accelerate aging, contribute to chronic diseases, and play a key role in metabolic dysfunction. Each video is designed to break down complex topics into clear, practical insights. Whether you’re a healthcare professional, student, or simply someone seeking to improve your health, this series will give you a deeper understanding of the biological roots of inflammation, insulin resistance, and cellular damage—and what you can do to address them.
Curated by: PaulReynoldsPhD (74 videos)
Topic How to measure glycation: the practical toolkit that reveals hidden tissue damage even when your A1c and standard labs look perfect — from continuous glucose monitors and short-term markers to skin autofluorescence that predicts disease independently of blood sugar. Summary Paul Reynolds, biomedical scientist and Professor of Cell Biology, finally answers the question that arrives after every episode of the College of Glycation: “How do I actually measure my own glycation?” He walks through the full instrument panel of available tests, explaining what each one really measures, where each one can mislead you, and how to use them together as a feedback loop. Hemoglobin A1c gives a two-to-three-month average of blood glucose but can be distorted by red-blood-cell lifespan, iron status, kidney disease, ancestry, and more. Fructosamine and glycated albumin offer a faster two-to-four-week window and strongly predict diabetes risk and complications. Continuous glucose monitoring turns the average into a real-time movie, exposing the spikes and glycemic variability that drive oxidative stress and glycation even in people with “normal” A1c. Skin autofluorescence, measured noninvasively in twelve seconds with an AGE Reader, estimates the long-term tissue accumulation of advanced glycation end-products and has been shown to predict type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mortality independently of glucose and A1c. Reynolds frames these markers as clocks running at different speeds — second hand (CGM), minute hand (fructosamine/glycated albumin), hour hand (A1c), and calendar (skin autofluorescence) — and shows how to close the test-intervene-retest loop on the right timescale. A landmark Weizmann Institute study of personalized nutrition based on individual CGM data proves that your own measurements outperform generic dietary advice. The goal is not anxiety but agency: trade the vague fear of a once-a-year number for specific knowledge you can act on. References and more For complete show notes and references, we invite you to become an Insider subscriber. You'll enjoy a weekly newsletter, premier early access to College of Glycation episodes with full reprints of cited publications, a dedicated College of Glycation question portal with live recorded answers, Paul's Weekly Research Review Podcasts, and more. Learn more: paulreynoldsphd.com Translation Notes You can click the gear icon at the bottom of this video to auto-translate captions. For example, to translate into French, select Subtitles, choose Auto-Translate, then first choose English, then choose Auto-Translate again, then choose French. Timestamps 0:00 Intro: How to measure glycation 1:09 A1C: 3-month average & pitfalls 5:41 Fructosamine & glycated albumin 8:26 CGM: real-time spikes 11:17 Normal people spend time in prediabetes 12:36 Time in range is key 13:19 Skin autofluorescence for tissue AGEs 15:20 Skin AF predicts outcomes independent of A1C 16:40 Different clocks for different timescales 18:43 Test → intervene → retest 20:04 Personalized glucose responses 21:32 Measure wisely NOTE The information presented is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Paul Reynolds is a biomedical scientist and professor of cell biology, not a licensed clinician. Always seek the advice of your own qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions. #HbA1c #ContinuousGlucoseMonitoring #SkinAutofluorescence #GlycemicVariability #TimeInRange #AGERAGE #insulinresistance #Glycation #AGEs #inflammation #OxidativeStress #ROS #Redox #CollegeOfGlycation #Ketodiet #LowCarb #InsulinResistance #HealthyAging #SugarDamage #HealthyLiving #KetoDiet #LowCarb #HealthPodcast #AntiAging #Nutrition #BiomedicalScience #BloodSugar #Wellness #HealthTips #SciencePodcast #HealthyEating #CellularHealth #Keto #KetoCommunity #HealthEducation Paul’s favorite yerba mate: https://unicity.link/121f260bfe Yerbe mate with a special formulated Balance fiber: https://ufeelgreat.com/c/PaulReynolds Full Metabolic System storefront: https://shop.unicity.com/paulreynolds Paul’s favorite source for clean, earth-sourced essentials such as salt, electrolytes, hydration, pre-workout and more. Go to https://redmond.life and use PAULSALT for 15% discount. Paul’s favorite exogenous ketones: A high-quality option is the NSF-certified goBHB from Clean Form Nutrition, where you can use the code Paul10 for a 10% discount: https://cleanformnutrition.com/products/go-bhb Paul’s favorite allulose source: https://rxsugar.com (discount: PAUL20) Paul’s favorite health check-up for men or women: https://blokes.co/DRPAUL (discount: DRPAUL for 50% off of labs and smart supplements and 15% off all other products)