What is the "L" in L-Ascorbic Acid?
Most people know vitamin C for its benefits when fighting the common cold or to treat scurvy. But vitamin C also plays a significant role in maintaining the healthy functioning of the skin - the body's protective barrier. L-ascorbic acid is one of the two forms of vitamin C found in nature and is the most biologically active, meaning it is the most beneficial. L-ascorbic acid’s potency makes it the preferred form of vitamin C for most skincare products and dietary supplements. L-ascorbic acid’s full name refers to a specific structure of vitamin C. Ascorbic acid is the name of vitamin C in the body and the “ L” in L-ascorbic acid refers to the way the molecule rotates to light.
L-ascorbic acid is the most abundant antioxidant in the body, but humans cannot produce it on their own unlike other mammals. Instead, we extract vitamin C through our diet or supplementation. Vitamin C is involved in many processes within our bodies, so the vitamin C we absorb gets distributed to all cells. However, the skin is often the last organ to receive vitamin C and does not receive it at the concentrations required to affect the skin in any significant way. Since our liquid vitamin C contains only water, vegetable glycerine and and L-ascorbic acid as most topicals do, it can be used on the skin if one wishes to do so.
L-ascorbic acid is found in fruits and vegetables such as oranges and leafy greens. They are a great source of dietary vitamin C. Unfortunately, the amount of vitamin C in these sources is impacted by its freshness. This is partly due to the breakdown of L-ascorbic acid that occurs when it is exposed to air, high temperatures and water. Most balanced diets will provide the body with enough vitamin C to support health. However, when naturally occurring sources aren’t enough, this is why L-ascorbic acid is used in supplemental products.