Vitamin C vs Zinc

for skin

Stronger evidence: tie

Stronger effect: Vitamin C

Safety: No notable interactions recorded for either.

For skin, the two are evidence-matched; the difference is in effect and safety.

Vitamin C

grade C low certainty

topical better-supported than oral; oral may support collagen synthesis

500 mg/day, adults

Acquired zinc deficiency is deeply involved in the development of skin diseases including acquired acrodermatitis enteropathica, necrolytic migratory erythema, alopecia, and delayed wound healing, and mutations or dysregulation in zinc transporters are associated with skin manifestations.

sources: PMID:42095579 · PMID:29439479