Role of Vitamin C in Improving Skin Health

Amazingly, vitamin C has plenty of other skin-healing properties that make it worthy enough to add it to the diet. Its skin-saving benefits aren’t limited to its antioxidant status. Vitamin C when used topically on the skin triggers to heal itself by accelerating the production of collagen and elastin. Collagen and elastin are both naturally occurring protein fibers that help keep skin retain its firmness and makes it look younger. So, in helping to promote collagen production, topical vitamin C can help prevent premature aging of the skin.

Vitamin C is found at high levels in the epidermis (outer layer of skin) as well as the dermis (inner layer of skin). It has cancer-fighting (antioxidant) properties and keeps skin healthy. This is the reason why vitamin C is one of the key ingredients found in many anti-aging skin care products.

Functions of Vitamin C in Healthy Skin

Intake of vitamin C orally can enhance the effectiveness of sunscreens applied to your skin for protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays. It does this by decreasing cell damage and helping the healing process of bodily wounds. Vitamin C can also remove signs of aging because of its vital role in the body’s natural collagen synthesis. It aids in healing damaged skin and, in some cases, reduces the appearance of wrinkles. Adequate vitamin C intake can repair and prevent dry skin. The antioxidant properties of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and its role in collagen synthesis make vitamin C a vital molecule for skin health. Dietary and topical ascorbic acid have beneficial effects on skin cells, and some studies have shown that vitamin C may help prevent and treat ultraviolet (UV)-induced photo damage.

Other functions

Pollutants in environment such as ozone, can decrease vitamin C levels in the skin and lead to free radical damage. Smoking also leads to increased wrinkling and decreased collagen synthesis, which corresponds to a decline in plasma vitamin C levels; however, it is unclear if this correlates to lower vitamin C levels in skin. Topical ascorbic acid has not been evaluated against pollution-related damage but topical application of vitamin C may be useful against acne to reduce inflammatory lesions. 

Recommended dose of Vitamin C and ways to incorporate

The recommendation of vitamin C is 1,000 mg per day. Y can try to get enough vitamin C in your diet through various ways:

• eat for more citrus foods, such as oranges, sweet lime
• eat other plant-based sources of vitamin C, such as strawberries, broccoli, and spinach
• drink orange juice
• take supplements, as recommended by a doctor
• look for anti-aging skin treatments with vitamin C for treating dryness, redness, wrinkles, and age spots

Content and availability

Vitamin C is a normal skin constituent that is found at high levels in both the dermis and epidermis. The vitamin C content of the epidermis is higher than the dermis, although the vitamin C concentrations in both layers are approximately equal to that of other water-soluble antioxidants, including uric acid and glutathione. Aging, however, causes a decline in vitamin C content in both the epidermis and dermis. Vitamin C in the skin is normally transported from the bloodstream. Transport proteins specific for ascorbic acid are found on cells in all layers of the skin. Keratinocytes have a high capacity for vitamin C transport. Oral supplementation with vitamin C effectively increases vitamin C levels in the skin. 

Deficiency of Vitamin C

Symptoms of vitamin C deficiency (knowns as scurvy) appear once plasma concentrations of ascorbic acid goes below 10 micromolar (μM), a level that can be prevented by consuming as little as 10 mg of ascorbic acid daily. Cutaneous manifestations of scurvy result from declines in collagen synthesis, leading to disruption of connective tissue and fragility of blood vessels. As scurvy progresses, wound healing is impaired due to the loss of collagen, which allows wounds to remain open, making it prone to infection. Skin lesions caused by vitamin C deficiency are remediated by an adequate intake of vitamin C.

Conclusion

Lastly, the best effects of vitamin C supplementation are seen when it is combined with other micronutrients, such as vitamin E and zinc. However, since the effects of vitamin C in the skin are not well understood due to limited research so we recommend you consult a dermatologist before intake or application of Vitamin C.