Why is Vitamin C so important for skin health?

1) Vitamin C makes collagen in the skin less likely to break down when exposed to the sun’s UV rays. This is usually called “collagen stabilization” in the scientific literature.

2) Vitamin C promotes collagen gene expression, which means it’s important in the initial steps of creating MORE collagen.

3) Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant, which means it helps protect the skin from environmental factors (like pollutants) which can damage the skin.

4) Vitamin C is also thought to decrease melanin in the skin, which means it reduces the potential for hyperpigmentation (discolored spots) on the skin.

[Reference: The Role of Vitamin C in Skin Health, Pubmed.]

In a nutshell, Vitamin C is pretty important!

I recommend extra Vitamin C to anyone who is committed to sustaining beautiful skin as they age.

You can take a Vitamin C supplement or you can focus on eating more Vitamin-C rich foods.

If you take a supplement, ascorbic acid is usually a good choice as it has a higher bioavailability than other types of Vitamin C. I like this one but there are many options.

For example, add lemon to your first glass of water each day, and to soups and smoothies. Sweet potatoes, kale and cantaloupes are also high in Vitamin C.

Remember that beautiful skin is rooted in a healthy body. Adding Vitamin C is one way to maximize how well your skin functions, which in turns results in better-looking skin!

Vitamin C is one recommendation I make to all my cosmetic acupuncture patients, to help boost collagen production during a series of treatments.