Scientists have long known that vitamin C, renowned for its antioxidant and restorative properties, is essential for skin health. Specifically, it plays a role in the synthesis of collagen, a key protein responsible for skin elasticity. In their new study, Japanese researchers have found compelling evidence that vitamin C not only protects the skin but also literally “turns on” the genes responsible for its renewal.
In their study, a team led by Dr. Akihito Ishigami from the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology used laboratory models of epidermis that closely resembled real human skin. These models allowed them to analyze the effects of nutrients on the skin.
When exposed to vitamin C at concentrations corresponding to normal levels in human blood, scientists recorded a significant thickening of the inner layer of skin by the seventh day of observation. By the 14th day, the growth became even more pronounced, while the outer layer, which consists of keratinized cells, actually thinned—a sign of enhanced regeneration. At the same time, the number of cells with the Ki-67 marker, a protein indicating cell division, increased. This means that under the influence of vitamin C, skin cells—keratinocytes—proliferated more actively.
Research has shown that vitamin C affects genes that stimulate skin renewal.
The key mechanism of this process is the epigenetic effect of vitamin C, specifically its ability to trigger DNA demethylation. DNA methylation is the process by which methyl groups are added to regions of the genome, silencing gene activity. Demethylation, on the other hand, “unlocks” genes, signaling cells to grow and differentiate. Vitamin C supports the function of specific enzymes that mediate the demethylation process and also restores iron ions, which are essential for the stable functioning of these enzymes.
Scientists identified over 10,000 DNA sites where vitamin C-induced demethylation occurred and recorded significant increases—ranging from 1.5-fold to over 70-fold—in the activity of 12 key genes associated with cell growth. Inhibition of the TET enzyme eliminated these effects, confirming that it is through this enzyme that vitamin C acts.
Vitamin C supplements and foods rich in ascorbic acid stimulate skin repair and renewal.
This discovery has significant implications for dermatology and gerontology. It demonstrates that vitamin C not only improves the skin's surface condition but also acts at the genetic level, truly promoting skin renewal and thickening. Vitamin C can now be rightfully considered not just a cosmetic product, but a potential therapeutic agent for restoring the skin's barrier function and slowing down age-related changes.