Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) for Wound Healing

Research suggests that vitamin C plays a supportive role in wound healing processes, particularly through its involvement in cell migration, fibroblast activity, and tissue repair mechanisms. The available evidence includes a 2023 narrative review spanning multiple health conditions, an in vitro laboratory study examining antioxidant effects on oral tissue cells exposed to nicotine, and a cell culture comparison study evaluating fibroblast adhesion under different vitamin C formulations — all of which point in a generally supportive direction. Studies indicate that vitamin C may promote fibroblast adhesion and cell migration relevant to wound repair, though the laboratory findings note that vitamin E demonstrated stronger effects than vitamin C alone in certain cellular contexts. Importantly, all three studies carry meaningful limitations: none are randomized controlled trials or clinical studies directly measuring wound healing outcomes in humans, and findings from cell culture experiments cannot be straightforwardly applied to real-world clinical use, meaning more rigorous human trials would be needed to draw firm conclusions.