You have told us that management of diabetes by using approaches to keep glucose levels in a low to moderate range was more a feel-good exercise than a true contribution to preventing complications of the disease like metabolic syndrome, or reduced longevity. Yet, studies are mounting showing accumulation of Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs) contribute to aging and reduced longevity. Is it simply the case that moderating blood sugar levels is not effective because glucose is ever-present and necessary to supply needed energy, so reducing high glucose levels is just controlling the tip of an iceberg?

This is a simple way of looking at things but does reflect a basic reality that glucose is almost always present as well as many other substrates and intermediate constituents of carbohydrate handling, so glycation will be ever-present at some level. Normally, this is dealt with through a number of further metabolic repair and rebalancing mechanisms, so there is a very complex series of biochemical interactions that converge in causing AGEs to become excessive and a problem for maintaining good self-functioning and this will not be brought into balance through simple maneuvers. Once one has restricted excess carbohydrate intake, that might keep things down to a dull roar, so to speak, but will not alone solve the problem.