Raena Morgan: Hi. I’m Raena Morgan and I’m visiting with Dr. Benjamin Weeks.
He is a professor of Biology at Adelphi University in Garden City,
New York. Dr. Weeks, we’ve been talking about vitamin C. Why
is vitamin C good for the skin? I would not have thought that.
Dr. Benjamin S. Weeks: Vitamin C is a required vitamin in the synthesis of the protein
collagen. And the protein collagen is required for the integrity and
maintenance of the skin—as a structure and as far as wound
healing goes, as well.
Raena Morgan: Wound healing?
Dr. Benjamin S. Weeks: Yes. So the production of collagen—this very important protein to
the skin—requires vitamin C, adequate levels of vitamin C in the
diet. And again, since we don’t make vitamin C and we need to
take that in, in our foods and our supplements; supplementing with
vitamin C can be very important to maintaining collagen synthesis
and the health of the skin and may also contribute to wound
healing. Collagen is about one-third of the body protein.
Raena Morgan: It’s a protein?
Dr. Benjamin S. Weeks: It’s a protein and it represents about one-third of all of the protein
we make in our body and so—and the skin is our largest organ.
Raena Morgan: It is?
Dr. Benjamin S. Weeks: Skin covers our whole body. So, if you are lacking in vitamin C,
your skin, your collagen production, may not maintain the health
of the skin and you may have problems in wound healing.
Therefore, it’s important to take in enough vitamin C to maintain
that collagen synthesis.
Raena Morgan: You say that wound healing is an effect of taking adequate vitamin
C. Have there been studies to show that this is effective?
Dr. Benjamin S. Weeks: Yes. There are many evens involved in wound healing. Some of
those events—especially the production and deposition of
collagen—is an important step—first step—in wound healing. So
why there are many things required for wound healing, certainly
vitamin C is one of those essential components in the diet which
would contribute towards successful wound healing through the
collagen production
Raena Morgan: Very good. Should you add some extra C if you have a wound?
Dr. Benjamin S. Weeks: Yep, sure.
Raena Morgan: All right. Thank you, Dr. Weeks.
Transcription by:
Scribe4you Transcription Services