Do we need vitamin C to make collagen in our bodies? The surprising connection between collagen & topical vitamin C.
Customer: Abi H.
Skin Type: Combination
Skin Concern: Overall Skin Health
Skin Stage: pre-mature (under 24)
Question From Abi
MHi Saranghae,
I was recently introduced to some of your products through my mom who has been a customer of yours for almost 10 years. I love all of your products, my favorites are your bioactive collagen serum and cream and your snail mucin.
A friend and I recently had a debate on vitamin C. She insists that you need vitamin C to MAKE collagen but that doesn’t sound right to me.
Is she right? Can you shed some light on this argument?
Thank you!
Abi
Saranghae Recommendation
Hi Abi,
Excellent! A bio-chemistry question and one that should tickle the fancy of true skincare enthusiasts. Thank you for asking this question and I’m happy to elaborate.
In short, your friend is correct.
Vitamin C is essential for collagen synthesis because it acts as a cofactor for two enzymes that help stabilize and cross-link collagen fibers: enzymes prolyl hydroxylase and lysyl hydroxylase.
Let me explain how that works.
Collagen is a protein and it is made up of 3 intertwined protein chains that are flooded with amino acids proline and lysine. The two amino acids ‘hydroxylate’ which means that they take on an ‘OH’ group to form both hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine.
So you can think of it like this:
Prolyl hydroxylase converts proline → hydroxyproline.
Lysyl hydroxylase converts lysine → hydroxylysine.
Hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine are needed to stabilize collagen’s triple helix structure. Think of it as the mortars that stabilize the bricks in a wall.
The biochemical process needed to make this happen requires vitamin C. (It’s a bit confusing but vitamin C maintains iron (Fe) in its reduced state, which is necessary for the enzymes to function.
By the way, hydroxyproline increases collagen’s thermal stability by strengthening hydrogen bonds in the triple-helix structure and hydroxylysine is essential for cross-linking collagen molecules, making the fibers strong and durable.
Without vitamin C the reactions to make those two molecules fail, which leads to unstable collagen that disintegrates.
So then let me answer one last question. Do we need topical vitamin C to make happen or just eating oranges enough?
If you can get enough vitamin C through dietary means it should be adequate to support the formation of hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine and provide other benefits like wound healing and overall skin health.
However, a research paper by Oregon State University found that we lose the capacity to maintain proper vitamin C concentrations in our epidermis and dermis as we age. The same paper also states that adding TOPICAL vitamin C in pure L-ascorbic acid form works better than taking oral vitamin C supplements.
Lastly, vitamin C is only effective in it’s pure form, l-ascorbic acid. Most vitamin C derivatives found in the market like ascrobyl acetate, palmitate and/or phosphate show limited absorption.
If you’re interested in the research paper, here’s a link: https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/skin-health/vitamin-C
I hope this helps settle the debate between you and your friend Abi.
If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Warmest regards,
Peter Lee
Co-founder & CEO
Saranghae | Orora
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