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)
In this episode of the College of Glycation series, Dr. Paul Reynolds—Professor of Cell Biology and biomedical scientist—takes on the viral “sugar diet” trend dominating social media, where people are eating literal bowls of sugar, drinking quarts of orange juice, eliminating fat, and claiming they feel better than ever. He asks the one question almost no one else is asking: what does this dietary pattern actually do to glycation and long-term tissue health? Building on the biochemical foundations of glycation, Dr. Reynolds explains how Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) form through the non-enzymatic reaction between reducing sugars and proteins, lipids, or DNA—and why a diet dominated by simple sugars, especially fructose, dramatically accelerates this damaging process through elevated methylglyoxal production, RAGE signaling, oxidative stress, and progressive tissue stiffening. You’ll learn why fructose is roughly an order of magnitude more glycating than glucose, how it drives methylglyoxal and MG-H1 formation at far higher rates, why short-term feelings of warmth, better mood, and energy do not reflect long-term metabolic safety, and why the complete absence of randomized controlled trials on sugar-dominant diets should concern anyone following this approach. Topics Covered: -What the sugar diet actually is, its variations, and its roots in Ray Peat-inspired ideas -Why fructose is dramatically more reactive in non-enzymatic glycation than glucose -Methylglyoxal and MG-H1 as central drivers of AGE formation and tissue damage -Key human studies: Stanhope et al. (fructose-sweetened beverages increased visceral fat and reduced insulin sensitivity in 10 weeks) and Schwarz et al. (high-fructose diet increased liver fat and de novo lipogenesis in just 9 days) -The double burden of endogenous glycation from high sugar intake plus inflammatory effects of dietary AGEs -Legitimate short-term clinical uses of carbohydrate-rich diets versus the risks of unsupervised, prolonged sugar dieting -Why the sugar diet maximally activates the pathways that drive biological aging -Evidence-based alternatives that support metabolic flexibility and lower glycation pressure Timestamps 00:33 – Social media sugar diet practices (bowls of sugar, orange juice, low-fat) 01:07 – Refresher: What is glycation? 01:46 – How AGEs form and damage tissues + RAGE signaling 02:27 – What is the sugar diet? Core principles and variations 03:09 – Ray Peat influence and modern influencer version 03:45 – Short-term reported benefits (weight loss, mood, warmth) 04:23 – Lack of RCTs and what the actual evidence shows 05:01 – UC Davis study: 25% fructose for 10 weeks (visceral fat, insulin resistance) 05:41 – Schwarz study: Fructose increases liver fat in just 9 days 06:22 – Fructose is ~10x more glycating than glucose + methylglyoxal production 07:04 – Methylglyoxal and MG-H1 formation 07:49 – Methylglyoxal-derived AGEs and long-term health consequences 08:26 – Dietary sugars driving endogenous AGEs, oxidative stress, and inflammation 09:48 – Sugar diet hits from two directions: endogenous + dietary glycation pressure 10:25 – HbA1c predicts cardiovascular disease and mortality even in non-diabetics 11:10 – Acute glucose control is not the same as long-term glycation burden 11:50 – Historical context: Kempner rice diet and legitimate short-term uses of high-carb 12:29 – Why the unsupervised social media sugar diet is different 13:07 – Better alternatives: carbohydrate restriction, time-restricted eating, whole foods 14:34 – Core conclusion: Sugar diet maximally activates aging pathways 15:15 – Mechanisms: chronic glycemic swings, liver fat, methylglyoxal, AGEs, RAGE About Dr. Paul Reynolds Dr. Reynolds is a biomedical scientist and Professor of Cell Biology, known for translating complex biochemical mechanisms into clear, practical insights through his College of Glycation series. #SugarDiet #Fructose #Glycation #AGEs #Methylglyoxal #MetabolicHealth #InsulinResistance #LiverHealth #DeNovoLipogenesis #RayPeat #DietTrends #Longevity #HbA1c #BiologicalAging Paul’s favorite yerba mate: https://unicity.link/121f260bfe Yerbe mate with a special formulated Balance fiber: https://ufeelgreat.com/c/PaulReynolds For the 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)