To investigate the impact of daily consumption of SunGold kiwifruit on skin vitamin C levels and skin functions in patients with low baseline plasma ascorbate levels.
Key Findings:
Skin ascorbate levels increased from 99 nmol/g to 150 nmol/g after intervention.
Skin density improved from approximately 0.15 to 0.23 scanner units.
Epidermal cell proliferation increased from 21 to 27 intensity units.
Epidermal ascorbate levels were higher than dermal levels, with a ratio of 2.0.
Plasma ascorbate levels positively correlated with skin ascorbate levels.
Epidermal ascorbate levels were 325 nmol/g tissue vs 194 nmol/g tissue in dermis.
Interpretation:
The study suggests that increased dietary vitamin C intake enhances skin health by improving ascorbate levels, skin density, and cellular proliferation, potentially through optimization of collagen synthesis and gene transcription regulation.
Limitations:
The study focused on patients with low baseline plasma ascorbate levels.
Only a small sample size (n = 7) was analyzed for per-protocol outcomes.
Patients with saturating plasma ascorbate status at baseline did not register measurable increases.
Conclusion:
Increasing dietary ascorbate intake may optimize skin function and support collagen synthesis, benefiting overall skin health.
