Not only does Vitamin C protects the skin from damage, but by directly reactivates the genes that control cell growth, it actually helps regenerate thicker, healthier skin.
New research shows that this essential vitamin works at genetic levels, eliminating the molecular “off switch” from DNA to enhance skin cell production and potentially reverse age-related sparseness.
The study, published in the Journal of Research Dermatology, shows that vitamin C promotes DNA demethylation, a process that can reactivate silencing genes involved in cell proliferation. This mechanism could explain why vitamin C supplementation can improve skin texture and may provide new treatments for age-related skin conditions.
Genetic switches and skin renewals
The researchers used a laboratory-grown human skin model to apply vitamin C at a concentration comparable to the concentrations that are natural from the blood vessels to the epidermis. The results were surprising: skin treated with vitamin C showed a significantly thick cell layer and an increase in the number of cells that were actively divided.
“Vulnerability seems to affect the structure and function of the epidermis, especially by controlling the growth of epidermal cells,” explained Dr. Akihito Ishigami, Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Biology and Medical Sciences at Tokyo Metropolitan Times and Geriatrics. “In this study, we investigated whether it promotes cell proliferation and differentiation through epigenetic changes.”
The key findings involve how vitamin C affects DNA methylation – a natural process where methyl attaches to DNA and essentially “turns off” the gene. When vitamin C promotes the removal of these methyl groups, previously silent genes become active again, especially those involved in cell growth and division.
Molecular machinery
Vitamin C achieves this genetic reactivate by supporting TET enzymes (attribute proteins that convert methylated DNA back to its active form). These enzymes need to operate properly with iron in a specific chemical state, and vitamin C helps maintain this need by donating electrons to keep the enzyme running.
The research team identified several key findings about this process:
- timing: The effect will be visible after 7 days and will become more obvious before day 14
- Focus: Both 0.1 and 1.0 mM vitamin C show benefits, matching physiological levels
- Specificity: More than 10,000 DNA regions become less methylated, with 12 key proliferating genes expressing 1.6 to 75-fold
- Cell activity: Treated skin showed a higher number of KI-67-positive cells, indicating active cell division
Exceeding antioxidant effects
Although vitamin C is known for its antioxidant properties and its role in collagen synthesis, the study reveals a completely different mechanism of action. Genetic reactivates traditional functions independent of vitamin C, which suggests that this vitamin supports multiple pathways for skin health.
When researchers used specific inhibitors to block TET enzyme activity, the beneficial effects of vitamin C disappeared. This confirms that the benefits of skin thick depend especially on DNA demethylation, rather than other vitamin C functions.
The study also showed that vitamin C treatment increased 5-7-fold global levels of 5-dimethylcyclomycin compared to untreated skin samples.
For age-related changes
As the skin ages, the epidermis gradually thins and loses its protective strength. About 90% of epidermal cells are keratinocytes, which originate from deeper layers and migrate upwards to form a barrier to the skin. This study shows that vitamin C can help restore natural renewal processes.
“We found that VCs help thicken the skin by encouraging keratinocyte proliferation through DNA demethylation, making it a promising treatment for thinning skin, especially in older people,” Ishigami concluded.
The study identified 12 specific genes reactivated by vitamin C treatment including ROS1, which exhibited particularly powerful upregulation. These genes are involved in all aspects of cell growth, division and tissue maintenance.
Clinical significance
These findings may have important implications for the treatment of skin diseases characterized by thinning of the epidermis, including age-related changes and certain genetic disorders. Unlike treatments that only add protective layers to the skin, vitamin C appears to enhance the skin’s regeneration ability from within.
The study used human epidermal equivalents – a skilled laboratory model that reproduces the structure and function of real human skin. These models show appropriate differentiation markers and realistic tissue structures, thus confirming that the results are transformed into actual human skin.
Although the focus of the study is on understanding mechanisms rather than immediate clinical application, these findings open new avenues to develop targeted therapies that work at the genetic level to restore young skin function and resilience.
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