Chemical modification of proteins may play a role in the pathogenesis of disorders ranging from diabetes to atherosclerosis and ischemia-reperfusion injury and perhaps to the aging process itself. Advanced Glycosylation End products (AGEs) are the end products of glycosylation reactions in which a sugar molecule bonds to either a protein or lipid molecule without an enzyme to control the reaction. The formation and accumulation of AGEs has been implicated in the progression of age related disease, in particular cardiovascular disease. They have a range of pathological effects, including inhibition of vascular dilatation by interfering with nitric oxide (Endothelium Derived Relaxation factor), binding macrophage and endothelial cells to induce the secretion of inflammatory cytokines and enhancing oxidative stress. We hypothesise that exercise stimulates glucose uptake by the endothelial cells increasing the synthesis of AGE's. It remains to be determined whether exercise again enhances or reduces this process.