What are the Benefits of Vitamin C?
By now it is commonly known how important it is to have Vitamin C in your daily diet. Whether it be skin care products, supplements or food, it is an essential nutrient and a potent antioxidant that our bodies need to function properly. When you think of vitamin C the first thing that comes to mind is orange juice and that helps us stay healthy. But vitamin C doesn’t just help us keep a healthy immune system so we can fight off harmful bacteria and viruses, it is also responsible for maintaining healthy blood vessels, bones and cartilage as well as doing wonders for our skin.
Protecting your skin from the environmental stresses that the world brings upon us today is more essential than ever. Vitamin C is one of the best ways to do just that. As mentioned before Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant. Quick reminder of what an antioxidant is: protects our skin cells by neutralizing free radicals (a highly harmful molecule caused by UV exposure and pollution) as well as aiding our skin's natural regeneration process by repairing any damaged skin cells. Vitamin C is also highly acidic, which means when it is applied topically it accelerates the collagen and elastin production causing your skin to be triggered to self heal. This is very beneficial if you have any wounds such as cuts and scrapes, or if you have marks left behind from picking at your skin, it will speed up the healing process.
Collagen and elastin are the foundation of keeping your skin youthful. They are both naturally occurring protein fibers found all throughout your body and skin. They are responsible for keeping your skin plump and firm but as we age they start to break down and our bodies slow down in producing more. This is where Vitamin C plays a major role at helping to keep premature aging at bay. Not only does it help to self heal when applied topically but vitamin C also helps to thicken the dermis layer of your skin and fade away fine lines and wrinkles. When your collagen and elastin productions get a boost, like it does when you topically apply Vitamin C, it gives your skin the nutrients it needs to keep firm and youthful looking.
Another essential reason why we love Vitamin C so much is because it is also a superior brightening agent. It is known to be able to prevent hyperpigmentation as well as reverse it. Hyperpigmentation is when the melanin in your skin has been damaged, usually by UV rays from over exposure to the sun and your skin being unprotected, causing your skin to develop brown patches. With continual use, topical Vitamin C can help fade away those dark patches without altering your normal skin pigmentation. Leaving you with a beautiful brighten skin tone.
It is important to know what ingredients to look for when purchasing Vitamin C products. The most stable and effective form of Vitamin C in skin care products is ascorbic acid or L-ascorbic acid. This is the purest form of Vitamin C and is proven to be the most effective at penetrating the skin barriers. Another form to look for is magnesium ascorbyl phosphate. This is a main derivative of vitamin C and it is a very hydrating form. It increases your skin's ability to retain moisture and have less water loss. A serum is the most effective product to use for getting an efficient amount of vitamin C in your skin. Serums are lightweight and made with smaller molecules for deeper penetration into the skin. If you want a good sidekick for your vitamin C serum look for one with Vitamin E as well. When two antioxidants are combined they work better and harder giving your skin even more protection against free radical damage. Vitamin E is also good for helping with strengthening your immune system, protecting against UV rays and keeping cell functions healthy. Vitamin C and E are strong forces apart but even stronger when mixed together.
Vitamin C can be used on almost all skin types and concerns. You just want to be careful if you have allergies or hypersensitive skin, with it being so potent you may want to start with lower doses to avoid any possible irritations. Vitamin C can be used to treat a number of different skin concerns. As we have already learned it helps with anti aging, dry and dehydrated, hyperpigmentation but it can also be very helpful with inflammatory skin conditions. It can help calm redness that occurs as well reduce inflammation leaving you with a more even complexion. Pure vitamin C products break down when exposed to the light and air, therefore you want to make sure your product comes in dark bottles, ideally glass to help maintain its stability and efficiency. Use Vitamin C products everyday morning and night to get all of these amazing benefits this nutrient has to offer.
Just as topical Vitamin C is an antioxidant to fight off free radicals and protect our bodies from UV damage and pollution, consuming Vitamin C antioxidant rich foods does the same and will give your body the boost from the inside out to help be as healthy as possible. The highest recorded level of Vitamin C in a fruit in the entire world is the Kakadu plum. But this can be a hard fruit to come by. Luckily there are plenty of other foods rich in Vitamin C that we can have in our daily diet. Fruits to look out for are oranges, mango, grapefruit, cantaloupe, strawberries, kiwi, papaya, pineapple, blueberries, raspberries and watermelon. Vegetables that are a high source of Vitamin C are potatoes, peppers, broccoli and brussels sprouts. A lack of vitamin C in our bodies can weaken our immune system and can lead to stomach diseases such as scurvy. Vitamin C cannot be stored in the body, therefore we need to be having it in our everyday day diet in the form of food or supplements and skin care products. There are endless amounts of options to choose from now, therefore there is no excuse to hide from this powerful nutrient that will help keep us youthful inside and out.