Vitamin C Found to Prevent Age-Related Skin Thinning, Promote Skin Cell Growth

Researchers have made a breakthrough discovery in the study of skin aging, finding that vitamin C plays a crucial role in preventing age-related thinning of the skin by switching on genes that promote skin cell growth. The study, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, sheds light on the potential of vitamin C as a treatment for epidermal thinning, including in aging individuals. This outermost layer of the skin, the epidermis, grows thinner and loses its protective strength with age, making it more susceptible to external threats.

Key Takeaways:

• Vitamin C is found to prevent age-related skin thinning by directly activating genes that control skin cell growth and development.
• Researchers applied vitamin C in concentrations comparable to those typically transported from the bloodstream into the epidermis, finding that it promoted the formation and division of keratinocytes, leading to a thicker epidermal cell layer.
• Vitamin C helps skin cells grow by switching on dormant genes associated with cell proliferation, and by removing methyl groups from DNA, thereby helping cells grow, multiply, and differentiate.
• The study also notes that vitamin C helps to thicken the skin by encouraging keratinocyte proliferation through DNA demethylation.
• This could be particularly helpful for older adults or those with damaged or thinning skin, as vitamin C promotes skin renewal by triggering genetic pathways involved in growth and repair.
• Dr. Akihito Ishigami, study author, states that vitamin C "helps thicken the skin by encouraging keratinocyte proliferation through DNA demethylation, making it a promising treatment for thinning skin, especially in older adults."

Statistics:

• Vitamin C is applied in concentrations comparable to those typically transported from the bloodstream into the epidermis.
• The skin shows a thicker epidermal cell layer on day seven after application of vitamin C.
• In only two weeks, the inner layer is even thicker, suggesting that vitamin C promotes the formation and division of keratinocytes.
• The study finds that vitamin C helps to thicken the skin by encouraging keratinocyte proliferation through DNA demethylation, which makes it a promising treatment for thinning skin.

Sources:

• Journal of Investigative Dermatology, "Vitamin C is a promising molecule that can be used to develop treatment for epidermal thinning, including in aging."
• Quote from Dr. Akihito Ishigami, study author, as provided in the original text.