Eating Vitamin C Rich Foods Works Better To Boost Collagen Production In Skin, Finds Study

Last Updated:January 02, 2026, 18:10 IST

A recent study has shown that vitamin C should be consumed via fruits if you want to see the benefits when it comes to boosting collagen production.

If you have been coming across mentions of vitamin C a lot lately, it is because it has been proving itself to be a main character. Recently, results from two separate studies have been published that yet again prove that including vitamin C in your food and skincare can have some wondrous results.

Eat kiwis for an increase in vitamin C and a boost in collagen 

You might have heard of the adages that ‘beauty comes from within’ and ‘you are what you eat’. Well, a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Otago found that collagen production and skin renewal directly respond to the amount of vitamin C we eat. It was published in the International Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

It was conducted on two dozen healthy adults in New Zealand and Germany, and researchers found that skin vitamin C levels are closely tied to levels of the vitamin in the blood plasma and can be boosted by increasing fruit intake.

The participants were instructed to eat two vitamin C-rich kiwifruit per day to increase the amount of the vitamin in the skin, which also helped to improve their skin thickness, aka collagen production, and stimulate the renewal and regeneration of the outer skin layer.

For the unversed, vitamin C is not only found in citrus foods like oranges, limes, lemons, and grapefruits but can also be ingested from berries such as strawberries and blackcurrants, red and yellow peppers, kiwifruit, broccoli, tomatoes, and potatoes.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, forming the main structural support for skin, bones, tendons, ligaments, and connective tissues. It keeps your skin firm and elastic, joints cushioned, and bones strong, while also aiding wound healing and tissue repair, making it vital for overall structural health and healthy ageing.

Lead author Professor Margreet Vissers from Mātai Hāora – Centre for Redox Biology and Medicine, within the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, says the strength of the association between collagen and vitamin C intake is “compelling”.

“We were surprised by the tight correlation between plasma vitamin C levels and those in the skin – this was much more marked than in any other organ we have investigated,” Professor Vissers says.

She went on to add that study has shown the best way to supporting your skin function is from the inside out and by delivering vitamin C to the skin via the bloodstream. “We know that vitamin C is required for collagen production. This fact has inspired the addition of vitamin C to many skin cream formulations. However, vitamin C is highly water soluble and poorly absorbed through the outer skin barrier. Our study shows that the skin is extremely good at absorbing vitamin C from the blood circulation. Uptake into the outer epidermal skin layer also seems to be prioritised,” she says.