Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGEs) are compounds which form after a "glycation reaction"--when a sugar molecule, such as fructose or glucose, bonds to a protein or lipid molecule without the controlling action of an enzyme.

During the reaction, a number of intermediate products may be formed which include hydrogen peroxide and beta amyloid proteins.

AGEs may be formed external to the body (exogenously) by heating (e.g. cooking) sugars with fats or proteins; or, inside the body (endogenously) through normal metabolism and aging. Most AGE-related damage in the body is due to exogenous formation and is proportional to sugar intake.

Many cells in the body (for example endothelial cells, smooth muscle or cells of the immune system) from tissue such as lung, liver, kidney or peripheral blood bear the Receptor for Advanced Glycation Endproducts (RAGE). When these receptors bind AGEs, they contributes to age- and diabetes-related chronic inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis, asthma, arthritis, myocardial infarction, nephropathy, retinopathy or neuropathy.

References

Miyata T, Oda O, Inagi R, Iida Y, Araki N, Yamada N, Horiuchi S, Taniguchi N, Maeda K, Kinoshita T (1993). "beta 2-Microglobulin modified with advanced glycation end products is a major component of hemodialysis-associated amyloidosis". The Journal of Clinical Investigation 92 (3): 1243-1252. PMID 8376584.