Since ancient times in China, there has been a saying that "medicine and food have the same origin" and "medicine and food have the same merit", "medicine is three poison, and food is the best policy." So more and more vitiligo patients are hoping to regulate the body through toning, improve the condition.
Dietary supplements mainly include two aspects: one is the supplement of "precise feeding", and the other is the diet of "minefield detour". For a long time, food rich in vitamin C has been frequently included in the blacklist of vitiligo patients, on the grounds that it has a whitening effect and may aggravate the condition.
Vitamin C controversy
Whether vitiligo patients need to avoid a high-vitamin C diet has been a controversial topic. On the one hand, studies have shown that the intake of vitamin C can affect the absorption of copper ions in the intestine, thus affecting the activity of tyrosinase, interfering with the production of melanin, which is not conducive to the development of vitiligo; On the other hand, relevant data show that vitamin C can remove free radicals and thus reduce DNA damage, and maintain cell membrane integrity by reducing membrane lipid peroxidation, thereby protecting melanocytes, which is conducive to the recovery of vitiligo disease.
It is reasonable for the public to say that the public is rational, so that people lose their direction and do not know whether to "make up" or "avoid"? The medical community has not given up on the in-depth study of this issue, in recent years, with the continuous deepening of research, the relationship between high vitamin C diet and vitiligo has finally come to a conclusion.
The effect of high vitamin C diet on vitiligo
More and more data show that in the daily care of vitiligo, high vitamin C diet has no direct negative effect on the progression of vitiligo disease. Not only that, a moderate intake of foods containing vitamin C is also good for recovery from the disease.
In a clinical study of the association between vitiligo and a high-vitamin C diet, 160 patients with advanced vitiligo were divided into a diet-controlled group and a non-diet-controlled group. The diet control group strictly forbade foods rich in vitamin C (such as strawberries, tomatoes, oranges, spinach, etc.), while the non-diet control group did not control the above foods high in vitamin C. After three months of treatment, the disease development and cure of patients in 2 groups were observed.
The results of the trial found that the treatment effective rate of the diet control group was 64.1%, and the treatment effective rate of the non-diet control group was 71.42%. The two data were similar, indicating that the diet containing high vitamin C had no correlation with the occurrence and development of vitiligo. Not only that, the treatment efficiency of patients who did not diet high vitamin C diet was better than that of the diet group. Based on the above data, it can be concluded that the appropriate intake of high vitamin C food has no negative effect on the development of vitiligo disease, but is conducive to the recovery of the disease.
This is because the oxidation-antioxidant imbalance present in vitiligo patients inhibits melanin synthesis and directly destroys melanocytes, leading to skin decoloration. Supplementation of antioxidants can neutralize excessive reactive oxygen species in the patient's body, regulate the imbalance, and create a more favorable living environment for melanocytes. Vitamin C, as a low-cost, widely used antioxidant, has the characteristics of easy absorption and small side effects, and helps white spots to recolor through proper dietary intake. In addition, vitamin C is also an essential ingredient in the process of melanin synthesis, and blind diet is harmful to the recovery of vitiligo.
How to correctly consume vitamin C
The 2023 edition of the "Reference Intake of Dietary Nutrients for Chinese Residents" recommends that adults should take 100mg of vitamin C per day. In view of the high content of vitamin C in plant foods such as fruits and vegetables. Therefore, to ensure adequate vitamin C intake, it is recommended that residents eat 300 to 500 grams of vegetables and 200 to 350 grams of fresh fruit every day.
It should be noted that although the normal intake of foods containing vitamin C in the daily diet is safe and beneficial, doctors usually do not recommend that patients take additional vitamin C supplements (such as vitamin C tablets, tablets, intravenous vitamin C, etc.), so as not to overintake will adversely affect the recovery of the disease.
For patients with vitiligo, vitamin C is neither the "root of the disaster" nor a "panacea". The key is balance and moderation, patients should follow scientific dietary recommendations, ensure a balanced diet, a reasonable intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, so that vitamin C naturally helps the recovery process, rather than becoming a psychological burden.
