Endogenous Advanced Glycation End Products

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are highly reactive compounds that result from a chemical reaction between reducing sugars and amino acids (also known as a Maillard reaction) and from the oxidation of sugars, lipids, and amino acids. These reactions are endogenous, i.e., they occur naturally in the body. Although the formation of AGEs within the body is a part of normal metabolism, a growing body of evidence^[1][2][3] suggests that excessive AGE levels promote oxidative stress and inflammation and may therefore increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and infertility.

AGEs were first recognized as being produced within the body under conditions of increased oxidative stress. However, it is now known that dietary AGEs are important contributors^[4] to the body’s total AGE concentration, where they become indistinguishable^[5] from AGEs produced within the body. The most widely studied AGE is carboxymethyllysine (CML), while another common marker of AGE formation is methylglyoxal (MG).