Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
Vitamin and mineral supplements are recognized to be important primarily for those who have inadequate diets. In order to alleviate the problem of improper diet, it has become common practice to supplement the diet with essential nutrients, such as by the use of vitamin pills or fortified beverages. Of the several known vitamins and minerals, calcium and Vitamin C are recognized to be important. Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is is known to stimulate the growth of connective tissue, in particular collagen, and to reinforce the defenses of cutaneous tissue against external attack. It is also used to remove marks and pigmentations from skin and to encourage healing of injured skin.
Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) is considered one of the most essential since it plays an important role in collagen formation, teeth and bone formation and repair, and the prevention of scurvy. Vitamin C has many known biological functions, e.g., acting as a wound healing accelerant, to prevent or treat periodontal disease, as an enzymatic co-factor, as a "sparing" agent against vitamin E depletion, as a collagen-synthesis stimulator, etc. Ascorbic acid helps regulate blood pressure, contributes to reduced cholesterol levels, and aids in the removal of cholesterol deposits from arterial walls. Ascorbic acid also aids in the metabolization of folic acid, regulates the uptake of iron, and is required for the conversion of the amino acids L-tyrosine and L-phenylalanine into noradrenaline. The conversion of tryptophan into seratonin, the neurohormone responsible for sleep, pain control, and well-being, also requires adequate supplies of ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is known to counteract oxygen-containing free radicals, including both the superoxide and hydroxyl radicals. These oxidative free radicals are generated in-vivo under a variety of normal and pathological conditions, and vitamin C is known for its ability to ameliorate conditions caused by oxygen free radicals, e.g., sunburn, cataracts, premature aging and a variety of other degenerative conditions. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) has proven to possess beneficial properties when applied in cosmetic products for skin care. For instance, vitamin C stimulates collagen synthesis in the skin, thereby producing a reduction of wrinkles, it has a skin-whitening effect by interfering in the formation of melanin and it can retard skin damage caused by exposure of the skin to UV light. Vitamin C or a derivative thereof has long been known to have an effect for preventing abnormal pigmentation by inhibiting skin melanin production, and it has been attempted to add vitamin C to cataplasms such as a cosmetic pack as an active ingredient for obtaining a skin-whitening effect. Ascorbic acid has long been recognized as an active substance benefiting skin appearance. Vitamin C reportedly increases the production of collagen in human skin tissue. Wrinkles and fine lines are thereby reduced. Vitamin C has also found utility as an ultraviolet ray blocking or absorbing agent. Whitening or bleaching skin compositions have also employed vitamin C utilizing its property of interference with the melanin formation process. A deficiency of L-ascorbic acid can impair the production of collagen and lead to joint pain, anemia, nervousness and retarded growth. Other effects are reduced immune response and increased susceptibility to infections. The most extreme form of ascorbic acid deficiency is scurvy. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and its derivatives are not endogenously produced and must be obtained from dietary sources. Ascorbic acid is found naturally in many fruits and vegetables, but the vitamin is water soluble and thus is not stored in the body for any appreciable period of time. For these reasons, ascorbic acid is commonly included in various fortified beverages now being marketed so that it may be consumed on a daily basis. Food sources of ascorbic acid include citrus fruits, potatoes, peppers, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, and berries. Ascorbic acid is also commercially available as a supplement in forms such as pills, tablets, powders, wafers, and syrups.
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