#122

I was also wondering this question lately and here’s what ChatGPT had to say about it:

Are glycated amino acids substrates for aaRS?

No, glycated amino acids are generally not suitable substrates for aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRS). Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are highly specific enzymes that recognize and attach the correct amino acid to its corresponding tRNA based on precise structural recognition. Glycation, a non-enzymatic modification where reducing sugars (like glucose) attach to amino acid residues, alters the chemical structure of the amino acid, usually at the amino group or other reactive sites. This change in structure can interfere with the aaRS enzyme’s ability to recognize and bind the glycated amino acid.

In fact, glycated amino acids are often treated as abnormal or damaged forms within cells. Cells have evolved mechanisms to detect and degrade glycated proteins and amino acids to maintain protein quality and function, so even if a glycated amino acid were mischarged onto tRNA, it would likely lead to translational errors and dysfunctional proteins.

In other words, the machinery that synthesizes proteins within our cells does not recognize/utilize glycated amino acids, and so glycated dietary proteins are probably not directly increasing glycation of our endogenous proteins.

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#123

Another thing to point out is that added sugar/sucrose (i.e glucose+fructose) is probably much more damaging in the context of glycation than starches or glycogen (which lack fructose).

This is because, in the words of ChatGPT:

Fructose is a better substrate for glycation than glucose. This is because fructose is a more reactive sugar in non-enzymatic glycation, also known as the Maillard reaction, where sugars react with amino groups on proteins, lipids, or nucleic acids. Here’s why fructose is more prone to glycation:

  1. Higher Reactivity: Fructose has a higher propensity for glycation due to its chemical structure and configuration. It reacts more readily with amino groups on proteins to form advanced glycation end products (AGEs) because it exists in a more reactive open-chain form in solution than glucose.
  2. Formation of AGEs: Fructose leads to a faster and more extensive production of AGEs compared to glucose. AGEs are compounds that accumulate over time and are associated with aging and chronic diseases. Since fructose is more reactive, it accelerates AGE formation, leading to a higher level of glycation-related damage.
  3. Physiological Impact: In conditions with elevated fructose, such as in high-fructose diets or metabolic disorders, the increased glycation from fructose can contribute to cellular dysfunction and has been linked to complications in diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Despite being less abundant in the bloodstream than glucose, fructose’s higher reactivity makes it a significantly better substrate for glycation, leading to potentially harmful biological effects when it accumulates.

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#124

See also

“In this process, advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) form as sugars bind to cellular proteins like collagen and blood vessels, which reduces vascular elasticity and weakens blood supply to the brain.

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#125

Baby’s are generally very healthy… and still:

(Top journal, just our a few days ago)

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Using an event study design with UK Biobank data comparing adults conceived just before or after rationing ended, we found that early-life rationing reduced diabetes and hypertension risk by about 35% and 20%, respectively

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adn5421

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#126

Great point. Yes, fructose is far more glycating than glucose and that is certainly a reason to avoid eating lots of fructose. Moderate amounts of fructose however are unlikely to cause much more glycation than eating glucose. The reason for that is that most of the ingested fructose never makes it into the blood but is taken up by the liver after absorption before having a chance to get into the main blood circulation. Therefore my guess is that fructose ingestion mainly increases glycation in the intestines, portal vein and liver, but much less so in the rest of the body.

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#127

First glucose is “fructose” here right?

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#128

Yes. Thanks for catching that. I’ve corrected it above.

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#129

Hello, I am also curious about acarbose. 60 y/o male. I don’t eat too many carbs. I did a Homa-IR about a year ago and it was 1.17. Tri/HDL ratio of 1.1, so I am reasonably insulin sensitive, I would think. I recently did get an Rx of acarbose (25mg), mostly to have for the possibility of vacations, eating out, etc. I mostly eat at home. But what is the half-life of acarbose, How long before a meal does one take it for the anti glucose effect. I read there can be bloating side effects, which I had not had on the few times I tried it.

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#130

"The pharmacokinetics of acarbose indicate that it has a half-life of approximately 2 hours in healthy volunteers, as previously mentioned. This short half-life is due to its rapid metabolism and excretion. "
It is to be taken immediately before meals.
The amount of bloating depends on the amount and type of carbs consumed.

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#131

I take 50 mg before carb containing meals. To be honest, I eat a lot of carbs. I do exercise quite a bit and I also have a very physical job, so I don’t feel bad about it, just saying. After about 3-4 weeks, the bloating and flatulence calmed down a lot for me, for what it’s worth.

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