According to a study recently published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, vitamin C (VC) has been found to help thicken skin by directly activating genes that control skin cell growth and development. The findings suggest that it may help to restore skin function by reactivating “youth genes” that are essential for epidermal renewal.
“VC seems to influence the structure and function of epidermis, especially by controlling the growth of epidermal cells. In this study, we investigated whether it promotes cell proliferation and differentiation via epigenetic changes,” explains study led Dr. Akihito Ishigami, Vice President of the Division of Biology and Medical Sciences at Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology (TMIG), Japan.
Investigating the effect of vitamin C on skin
For this study, lab-made human epidermal model equivalents were exposed to air on the surface while being nourished underneath by a liquid nutrient medium to replicate the way human skin receives nutrients from blood vessels while being exposed to external environments. Then the models were applied with vitamin C at 1.0 and 0.1 concentrations, which are comparable to those transported from the bloodstream to the epidermis.
What they found
On day 7, when assessing the effect, it was found that the vitamin C-treated skin models had a thicker epidermal cell layer without significantly affecting the stratum corneum outer layer of dead cells. On day 14, the inner layer was found to be even thicker, and the outer layer was found to be even thinner, which suggests that vitamin C helps to promote the formation and division of keratinocytes.
Additionally, skin sample models treated with vitamin C displayed increased cell proliferation, which was demonstrated by a higher number of Ki-67-positive cells, which are a protein marker that is present in the nucleus of actively dividing cells.
The researchers identified more than 10,138 hypomethylated differentially methylated regions in the vitamin C-treated skin models, and saw a 1.6 to 75.2 fold increase in the expression of 12 key proliferation-related genes. When a TET (ten-eleven translocation) enzyme inhibitor was applied, the effects were reversed, confirming that vitamin C functions via TET-mediated DNA methylation.
According to the researchers, the study revealed that vitamin C helps skin cells grow by reactivating “youth genes” that are associated with cell proliferation by promoting the removal of methyl groups from DNA. When DNA is methylated, the methyl groups attach to cytosine bases, which prevent DNA from being transcribed or read, to suppress gene activity. In other words, vitamin C promotes gene expression as well as helps cells grow, multiply, and differentiate.
Conclusion
The researchers concluded that vitamin C promotes skin renewal by triggering pathways involved in skin growth and repair, suggesting that vitamin C may be particularly useful in those with damaged or thinning skin and older adults by boosting the skin’s natural capacity to regenerate and strengthen itself.
“We found that VC helps thicken the skin by encouraging keratinocyte proliferation through DNA demethylation, making it a promising treatment for thinning skin, especially in older adults,” concludes Dr. Ishigami.
Sources Of Vitamin C
While some people take supplements to meet the daily requirements for vitamin C, it is recommended to get your intake from food sources.
Fruit is typically a rich source of vitamin C, with it being abundant in choices such as citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes), berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries), kiwi, papaya, and mango.
Vegetables such as bell peppers (red, yellow, green), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, potatoes (sweet and white), and tomatoes are also great sources of vitamin C.
Other popular sources include tomato juice, orange juice, spinach, kale, and mustard greens. Some nuts and seeds also contain traces of vitamin C, although it is in smaller amounts.
The recommended daily intake of vitamin C can vary by person, meaning that it is always best to consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice. However, the NIH recommends that most adult females intake 75 mg a day, and most adult males intake 90 mg a day.
This article was created at the WHN News Desk
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https://www.tmghig.jp/research/en/etopics/archives/016632/index.html
