Glucosepane: One of the Most Important Molecules You’ve Never Heard Of

Every week I am amazed, as I read through my never-ending stack of the latest research, that I learn about a molecule that is central to cellular health, that some scientists have been studying for years, and that I have never once heard of before. Glucosepane is one of those molecules. I had never heard of it prior to about a month ago. Now, I think it could be playing a central role in both deuterium management and the integrity of our connective tissue.

From glucose to advanced glycation end products

When we eat carbohydrates, a large percentage of them are converted to glucose. That is a primary fuel cells use to generate energy. Another fate of glucose is via a process called “glycosylation.” Glycosylation is where glucose, and other sugar molecules, are attached to specific sites on proteins to alter the protein’s behavior; this process is reversible—it can be undone.

Glycosylation can also happen in a way that is not regulated. When unregulated, excess glucose attaches to many different kinds of proteins, undergoes various types of chemical reactions, and sticks to proteins irreversibly. Once stuck, always stuck. These sticky, oxidized sugars are called advanced glycation end products, or AGEs for short.

What I didn’t know until first hearing about glucosepane a short while ago is that it is the most abundant AGE in the body. When dietary carbohydrate intake is high, and especially if energy demand is not high as well, a larger amount of glucose will spill out into the fluid surrounding connective tissue, where it can become oxidized, stick to collagen, and never let go. Why is this a problem? Because the more glucosepane gets stuck to collagen, the stiffer the collagen becomes.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and is distributed throughout it. It should stay both strong and flexible. Think skin, tendons, ligaments, and the “glue” that binds cells into tissues. Once bound by glucosepane, the collagen adjacent to it is restricted in its motion. More carbohydrates in the diet means more glucose for generating AGEs, which means more glucosepane stuck to collagen, less flexibility and, ironically, more wrinkles.

Glucosepane’s possible protective role

Here is where it gets interesting. The story so far makes it seem like glucosepane is up to no good, but I think it is actually a pretty brilliant protective process. The molecular structure of glucosepane allows it to “trap” ambient deuterium, keeping it out of circulation where it can cause major metabolic problems. If you don’t understand why it is important to keep deuterium tucked away, check out my YouTube channel. I have a few videos explaining this.

Deuterium is present in all food and water we consume, but its concentration varies by food type. Fats are the lowest in deuterium, proteins are next highest, and carbohydrates are the highest. The more carbs that are consumed, the more deuterium is brought into the body, and thus the greater the need to trap it to keep energy production as efficient as possible. Glucosepane’s ability to trap deuterium is an elegant solution to that problem.

Keep in mind that our cells and tissues are not concerned with how their activities might cause symptoms we don’t like. The entire system is astoundingly well-designed to optimize cellular function. If optimizing function also causes symptoms—such as stiff collagen that loses its ability to maintain hydration, and thus wrinkles—so be it.

The deuterium connection

I have written and spoken a great deal about the health benefits of drinking deuterium-depleted water, or DDW. The production of glucosepane highlights the flip side of that coin: eating a diet that is low in deuterium. That, in combination with resistance exercise, is perhaps the best way to keep collagen flexible and skin hydrated.

For those interested in the bigger and geekier picture about glucosepane, I sent my initial observations to Dr. Stephanie Seneff and we had some correspondence about it. My contributions to the resulting article describing the larger mechanisms of deuterium regulation were relatively limited, but she was kind enough to list me as a co-author on a paper she recently published on her Substack.

If you would like more information about strategies for keeping your collagen flexible, healthy, and deuterium-free, mention this article for a 10% discount when you schedule online, email drnigh_info@gregnigh.com, or call 503-719-4806. Patients in Rhode Island can schedule with me through rhodeislandnaturopathic.com.