In a recent discussion, a forum member cited this article Vitamin K, an example of triage theory: is micronutrient inadequacy linked to diseases of aging? The reference to “diseases of aging” is very interesting in regard to the anti-aging effects of vitamin C on the skin. And “triage theory” posits that some functions of micronutrients are restricted during shortage and that functions required for short-term survival take precedence over those that are less essential. This concept greatly supports the use of vitamin C applied to the skin.
It appears that in the human body, the skin ranks as very low-priority compared to other organs when it comes to short-term survival. For example, when a person suffers circulatory shock, practically the first symptom is cold, clammy skin as vasoconstriction shuts down the blood supply to the skin to preserve blood and oxygen for the heart, lungs and brain. And interestingly, the first symptoms of scurvy are skin lesions (perifollicular hemorrhage), apparently because the body somehow favors the distribution of the limited amount of vitamin C to more crucial organs. Way back in 1699, a famous French surgeon described the condition of cadavers from patients who died of scurvy (a very gruesome account to read) but he noted that “What was very surprising, the brains of these poor people were always sound and entire.” Clearly the body had somehow reserved the very last of the vitamin C for the brain.
Normal levels of vitamin C in skin vary widely, and in some cases the levels found are higher than ANY other tissue. It appears that when there is plenty, the body deposits it heavily in skin. It also appears likely that whenever there is any deficiency (whether that be inadequate intake or increased consumption by other tissues), the skin is the first organ to suffer.
The neat thing about topical application of vitamin C is that the skin gets the first crack at absorbing it, rather than being at the end-of-the-line as it is with oral consumption. It would seem that topical use would benefit almost everyone, even those who consume a lot orally.