Integument System Physiology and Glycation

In this episode of the College of Glycation, Dr. Paul Reynolds—Professor of Cell Biology—dives into the integumentary system and explains why your skin is one of the most revealing indicators of metabolic health. Unlike internal organs you can’t see, the effects of glycation and chronic inflammation show up directly on your face, hands, and body. Dr. Reynolds breaks down how advanced glycation end products (AGEs) form when sugars bind to proteins, and why long-lived structural proteins like collagen and elastin are especially vulnerable to becoming stiff, cross-linked, and dysfunctional over time.This lecture connects the biochemistry of glycation to real-world outcomes like wrinkles, sagging, dull or yellowed skin tone, barrier breakdown, increased infection risk, and delayed wound healing—especially in diabetes. You’ll also learn why skin autofluorescence is emerging as a powerful marker of AGE burden, even in non-diabetics, and how daily lifestyle choices can reduce glycation load and protect skin integrity as you age.Paul’s favorite yerba mate: https://ufeelgreat.com/usa/en/c/C63EE3  Paul’s favorite source for clean, earth-sourced essentials such as salt, elecrolytes, 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)