Why is vitamin C effective in anti-aging?

Vitamin C is one of the outstanding ingredients in skin care, especially with its effective anti-aging properties. As a powerful antioxidant, vitamin C helps protect the skin from the harmful effects of free radicals – the main cause of skin aging. These benefits have made vitamin C an effective anti-aging choice and an indispensable choice in skin care routines, especially for those who want to preserve youthful skin for a long time.

1. Why is vitamin C effective in anti-aging?

Vitamin C is a skin care ingredient that stands out with its abilities anti-aging Effective, recommended by many experts. This ability comes from its unique biological properties. First, it can be considered antioxidant vitamin C very strong. During daily metabolism, the body produces free radicals, unstable molecules that can damage cells, lead to skin damage and accelerate the aging process. Impacts from UV rays, environmental pollution and even stress also increase the amount of free radicals, causing the skin to lose its youthfulness and appear wrinkles and crow’s feet. Vitamin C helps neutralize these free radicals, preventing further damage to skin cells and slowing the natural aging process.

Besides, one of the main benefits Anti-aging of vitamin C is the ability to promote collagen production. Collagen is an important protein that creates the skin’s foundation structure, helping the skin maintain firmness and elasticity. As we age, the body’s natural collagen production decreases, causing skin to become thinner, more susceptible to wrinkles and loss of elasticity. By stimulating the production of new collagen, vitamin C can help smooth out existing wrinkles and prevent the formation of new ones, thereby improving the overall appearance of the skin.

In addition, vitamin C also helps even out skin tone and minimize brown spots and dark spots caused by sunlight. This is because vitamin C interferes with the production of melanin – the pigment that causes brown spots to appear on the skin. By minimizing melanin production, vitamin C helps brighten the skin and results in a more even skin tone.

The combination of antioxidant properties, stimulating collagen production and improving skin tone makes vitamin C a comprehensive anti-aging solution. When used regularly in a skin care routine, vitamin C can result in younger, firmer, and more radiant skin, effectively helping the skin fight the signs of aging.

2. How to use vitamin C in anti-aging skin and body care

Using vitamin C properly in anti-aging skin and body care can bring optimal results, helping to maintain youthful skin and protect comprehensive health. Here are scientific ways to use vitamin C for both skin and body:

2.1 Use Vitamin C in skin care

Vitamin C is widely used in skin care products such as serums, creams, and masks and can provide many benefits when used properly:

• Use vitamin C serum in the morning: Vitamin C serum usually has a high concentration, helping the skin absorb it more effectively. It’s best to use in the morning after cleansing and before applying moisturizer and sunscreen. This helps protect the skin from the harmful effects of environmental factors such as UV rays and pollution throughout the day.
• Combined with sunscreen: Vitamin C works very well when combined with sunscreen, as it helps enhance the skin’s ability to protect against the harmful effects of UV rays. While sunscreen blocks UV rays, vitamin C helps minimize damage caused by free radicals, protecting the skin from premature aging.
• Choose products with appropriate concentrations: Vitamin C in skin care often has many concentrations, from 5% to 20%. If you are just starting out, you should choose products with low concentrations (5-10%) to let your skin gradually adapt before using higher concentrations. Sensitive skin should prioritize gentle formulas.
• Store the product properly: Vitamin C is easily oxidized when exposed to light and air, so choose the product in a dark bottle and store in a cool, dry place, away from direct light. . If the serum turns brown or dark yellow, the product may have oxidized and lost its effectiveness.

2.2 Supplement Vitamin C orally

Supplementing vitamin C orally not only helps prevent skin aging but also brings many benefits to body health:

• Supplement from food: Vitamin C is found in fruits and vegetables such as oranges, lemons, strawberries, kiwi, bell peppers, and broccoli. Eating lots of foods rich in vitamin C helps increase resistance, protect the body from diseases and support collagen production, helping the skin become firm and elastic.
• Vitamin C supplements: If you don’t get enough vitamin C from your diet, you can take supplements. The recommended daily dosage for adults is approximately 65-90 mg, but in cases where skin or body health is needed, up to 500 mg per day can be taken. However, do not exceed 2000 mg/day to avoid side effects such as stomach pain or kidney stones.
• Drink juice containing vitamin C: Drinking orange, lemon or strawberry juice is also an easy way to naturally supplement vitamin C for the body. This not only helps provide vitamins but also refreshes and hydrates the skin.

2.3 Be careful when using vitamin C

• Avoid using at the same time with irritating ingredients: Vitamin C is mildly acidic, so when used with ingredients like retinol or AHA/BHA, you may experience irritation or skin overload. If you want to use both, take the vitamin C in the morning and the other ingredients in the evening.
• Duration of use: Vitamin C takes time to take effect, so you need to be patient and maintain continuous use for at least 4-8 weeks to see noticeable results, especially when reducing wrinkles and fine lines. brighten skin.

Using vitamin C appropriately and properly not only helps prevent skin aging effectively but also improves overall health. When combined with skin care and oral supplementation, vitamin C is a powerful tool to help you maintain youthful skin and protect your body from the signs of aging.

3. How to supplement foods rich in Vitamin C to help fight aging best

Supplementing foods rich in vitamin C is a natural and effective way to fight aging, help skin become healthy, firm and prevent signs of aging such as wrinkles and dark spots. Here are the best ways to supplement Vitamin C anti-aging from food, along with these nutrient-rich foods:

3.1 Fruit rich in vitamin C

Some fruits contain large amounts of vitamin C that you can supplement daily to prevent aging:

• Oranges and citrus fruits: Oranges, tangerines, lemons, and grapefruits are rich sources of vitamin C. You can eat it directly, make juice or add it to salads to enjoy the fresh taste and nutritional benefits.
• Strawberries: Strawberries are not only rich in vitamin C but also contain powerful antioxidants that help improve skin elasticity and tone. You can eat fresh strawberries, add them to smoothies or eat them with yogurt for breakfast.
• Kiwi: Kiwi is a fruit rich in vitamin C, even higher in vitamin C than oranges. Adding kiwi to snacks, salads or smoothies is an easy way to provide this nutrient.
• Papaya: Papaya provides a lot of vitamin C and digestive enzymes to help skin become soft, smooth, and bright. Papaya can be added to desserts, smoothies, or eaten straight.
• Guava: This is a tropical fruit that contains a lot of vitamin C. Guava is often eaten directly or made into juice, which is very suitable for supplementing nutrition for the skin.

3.2 Vegetables rich in vitamin C

Vegetables are also a rich source of vitamin C, which helps the skin fight aging from within:

• Bell peppers (red, green, yellow): Bell peppers are not only rich in vitamin C but also contain lots of fiber and antioxidants that are beneficial for the skin. You can prepare bell peppers in salads, stir-fry or eat them raw with sauce.
• Kale: Kale is a green leafy vegetable that is not only rich in vitamin C but also contains vitamin K and antioxidants that help prevent wrinkles and improve skin elasticity. You can add kale to smoothies, salads or lightly cook it.
• Broccoli: Broccoli not only contains a lot of vitamin C but is also rich in vitamin K and fiber, which helps support the digestive system and improve skin condition. You can steam, boil or stir-fry broccoli to keep the vitamin C content intact.
• Brussels sprouts: Brussels sprouts contain large amounts of vitamin C, which helps protect the skin from the harmful effects of UV rays and prevents the aging process. You can grill or stir-fry brussels sprouts with mild spices to retain their nutritional value.
• Potatoes: Potatoes, especially the red-skinned variety, contain large amounts of vitamin C. Potatoes can be prepared in many ways such as boiling, baking, steaming or as a nutritious side dish.

3.3 Tips to best absorb vitamin C from food

• Eat fresh and raw when possible: Vitamin C is very sensitive to high temperatures and is easily lost during cooking. Therefore, to optimize your vitamin C intake, you should eat vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables fresh or only lightly cooked. For example, instead of boiling broccoli thoroughly, you can steam it briefly to retain nutrients.
• Combine vitamin C with iron-rich foods: Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron from foods better, so you can combine iron-rich food sources such as red meat, beans and dark green leafy vegetables with other sources of iron. foods that contain vitamin C. For example, eating kale with oranges or having a meal with a strawberry and spinach salad can help the body absorb iron more effectively.
• Prepare smoothies or juices: Smoothies and fruit juices rich in vitamin C are not only delicious but also easy for the body to absorb. You can combine oranges, kiwis, strawberries and kale into a smoothie or make juice from grapefruit and lemon to provide a large amount of vitamin C in each drink.
• Add fruit to snacks and desserts: Vitamin C can be easily supplemented by adding fruits such as strawberries, kiwi, or papaya to snacks or desserts. In addition, making fruit salad from fruits such as oranges, grapefruit and lemons is also a great way to supplement vitamin C.

3.4 A balanced and varied diet

To ensure your body is getting enough vitamin C for anti-aging benefits, maintain a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, and other sources of nutrients. Vitamin C not only plays an important role in protecting the skin but also helps strengthen the immune system and reduce the risk of age-related diseases.

Thanks to the addition of foods rich in vitamin C, you not only protect your skin from the harmful effects of the environment and the aging process, but also provide necessary nutrients for your body, helping your skin become bright, smooth, firm and healthy. healthy from the inside.

In short, vitamin C is an important nutrient in the fight against aging, thanks to its powerful antioxidant properties, stimulating collagen production and evening out skin tone. By protecting the skin from free radical damage, strengthening skin structure and minimizing the appearance of wrinkles, vitamin C has proven to play an indispensable role in skin care routines. When used properly, both externally through skin care products and internally through diet, vitamin C provides comprehensive benefits, helping to maintain youthful, firm and radiant skin for a long time.

Source: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov – health.harvard.edu – medicalnewstoday.com