Could Drinking THIS Accelerate Aging?

According to numerous studies, the answer is ‘yes’ — but most people don’t realize it...

In fact, about 55 million Americans drink it every single day.

We all know soda isn’t exactly a healthy drink. All that sugar and high fructose corn syrup does nothing but add excess pounds and damage your teeth. Although it may taste delicious and refreshing, the bottom line is that soda is just not good for the body.

One of the problems with soda is its high sugar content. Excessive sugar consumption can lead to fatty liver disease, obesity, and hypertension. It can also increase your chances of getting diabetes. And there is new evidence that sugar is also detrimental to the skin, resulting in aging, inflammation, and dryness.

Here’s how drinking soda negatively impacts your skin:

1. Accelerates Skin Aging

New research suggests that drinking too many caffeinated, sugary drinks can, in fact, result in premature aging. A recent study from the University of California, San Francisco found that people who drank more soda had shortened telomeres. Telomeres are the ends of chromosomes, and the shorter they are, the less a cell is able to regenerate. This lack of cell regeneration ultimately leads to faster aging. 

Drinking too much soda can also increase the process of glycation in the body. Glycation is a natural chemical reaction that occurs when a sugar molecule bonds to a protein. Too much of it can break down the elastin and collagen in the skin, accelerating the aging process significantly. 

2. Enlarges Pores and Increases Oil Production

The sugar in soda has several unhealthy effects, one of which is an increase in testosterone levels. Increased testosterone in the body can affect skin in a variety of ways; causing pores to enlarge and oil production to increase. This leads to a shiny, porous complexion. It can also result in blackheads and whiteheads which occur when excess oil and skin cells block pores.

The rise in testosterone levels also hardens blood vessels and leads to dehydration. This can leave skin looking dull and dry, and can even cause dark under eye circles. Dehydration saps skin of its natural plumpness, making you look older and more tired. Dehydration can also deepen existing wrinkles and fine lines, making them appear more noticeable.

The Good News

Soda is not your skin’s friend. All you have to do to fight skin aging and the effects of soda is to stop drinking it. If you are not ready to quit drinking soda, even reducing consumption can be extremely beneficial. 

If you still want to enjoy soda, try making your own “soda water” by adding slices of fresh fruits to carbonated mineral water. However you decide to do it, you’ll quickly see the benefits, inside and out, of quitting sugary soda.

The post Could Drinking THIS Accelerate Aging? first appeared on Eclectic Red Barn.

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