C the light: How vitamin C protects your skin from sun damage

Great Big C

Previously on our Learn page, we’ve looked at how biotin, a.k.a. vitamin B7, helps in the maintenance of healthy hair, skin, and nails. 

But did you know? Lissa Health Biotin also contains vitamin C, so today we’re taking a look at the role this critical nutrient plays inside our bodies — really, why we add it to our biotin supplement.

In terms of vitamins, C is A+ 

If you’re sick or injured, ascorbic acid — the technical term for vitamin C — is your personal Florence Nightingale. Health Canada says vitamin C “helps heal wounds,” and the vitamin is widely noted for its importance in supporting immune function. Though the humble vitamin is most often used to help prevent and treat common colds, it can also aid against far deadlier foes. Vitamin C “might help prevent or delay the development of certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, and other diseases,” according to the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health. (1, 2, 4)

Indeed, vitamin C is just what the doctor ordered. We mean it: Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician often called the “Father of Medicine,” identified the many unpleasant symptoms of scurvy, the disease caused by vitamin C deficiency. Doctors from antiquity even recommended citrus fruits, rich with vitamin C, as a cure for lethargy. (6, 7)

Vitamin C plays so many roles — biosynthesis of collagen, protein metabolism, wound healing to name a few — but let’s focus on how it assists your skin, your largest organ, and how to ensure you’re getting enough. (1)

Protecting the skin you’re in

While spending time outdoors is great for your spirit, it can be punishing on your hair, skin, and nails. Whether you’re exploring nature or lounging on a patio, vitamin C is an easy way to help protect your exterior from the sun. In fact, the Linus Pauling Institute's Micronutrient Information Center at Oregon State University says ascorbic acid’s antioxidant qualities and “its role in collagen synthesis make vitamin C a vital molecule for skin health.” The MIC also notes that vitamin C “may help prevent and treat ultraviolet-induced photodamage,” which could — while not a substitute for sunscreen — make the nutrient a boon for sun-worshippers. The power of biotin plus vitamin C! (5) 

If you’re looking to mitigate skin damage from the sun, the NIH suggests “optimising dietary vitamin C intake” over “topical applications” of ascorbic acid. In other words, to protect your skin from the sun, you probably want to eat your vitamin C, rather than rub it in. (3)

Research also shows vitamin C helps prevent sagging, dryness, wrinkle and scar formation, and loss of colour in skin. (3)

(And you wondered why we add vitamin C to Lissa Health Biotin?!)