Hyaluronic Acid Supplement to Support Joints and Skin

Hyaluronic Acid supplements are a high molecular weight hyaluronic acid sodium salt that may help support the lubrication of the joints and maintain good hydration of the skin.

What is Hyaluronic Acid?

Over the past few years, hyaluronic acid has received significant attention from both the medical press and the cosmetics sector. It is a polysaccharide macromolecule from the glycosaminoglycan family, which is abundant in the skin and synovial fluid (the viscous fluid surrounding our joints).

Naturally occurring in the body, hyaluronic acid is produced by cells called chondrocytes and synoviocytes to increase the viscosity of synovial fluid, which improves the lubrication of the joints. It also helps maintain skin hydration by capturing water and retaining it in the skin's deeper layers. In some cases, it also reduces the concentration of inflammatory mediators and the activity of immune cells.

The viscosity of the gel depends on the chain length of the hyaluronic acid. The higher its molecular weight, the greater the molecule's capacity for absorbing water. And with a molecular weight of 1.2 million Daltons, our Hyaluronic Acid is one of the best hyaluronic acid sodium salt supplements available.

How is it Produced?

Hyaluronic Acid in dietary supplement form is obtained in two different ways:

• By extraction from rooster combs, after which it is crushed, chemically treated, and purified.
• By bacterial fermentation: strands of hyaluronic acid are produced from innocuous bacteria.

Our oral hyaluronic acid supplement is developed using the second of these methods. It is therefore 100% suitable for vegetarians and vegans and offers guaranteed, controlled optimal purity.

The human body is able to produce hyaluronic acid via a mechanism discovered around 20 years ago by Professor Paul Weigel and his team. Synthesis occurs at the inner side of plasma membranes and is a fast, effective, and unique process.

What are Hyaluronic Acid's Properties?

Hyaluronic acid is present in the form of hyaluronic acid sodium salt, also called hyaluronan, in the synovial fluid surrounding joints. Molecular hyaluronic acid weighs more than 1 million Daltons and, under normal conditions, is highly concentrated. As a result of its specific structure and considerable size, it can retain enormous amounts of water – up to 1,000 times its own weight – and all the nutrients and hydrophilic substances that go with it. It is solely responsible for the viscosity and elasticity of synovial fluid.

In certain states of poor health, both the concentration and molecular weight of hyaluronic acid sodium salt decrease, contributing to an increase in inflammatory processes and adverse effects on cartilage.

Hyaluronic Acid Supplement Benefits

Some people take oral hyaluronic acid for joint lubrication, while others opt to take a hyaluronic acid supplement for skin hydration. Oral hyaluronic acid benefits may even include wound healing.

Each of the following sections provides greater detail about each of the health benefits of hyaluronic acid supplements and includes links to relevant studies that should be reviewed for a better understanding of how it can support comfort, well-being and overall health.

Joint lubrication

Is it beneficial to take a hyaluronic acid supplement for joints?

Hyaluronic acid in the synovial fluid is naturally found in the joints, providing lubrication and space between the bones. Without synovial fluid bones and joints may experience friction as they move, causing pain. Keeping joints lubricated can reduce pain caused by friction.

A study on the efficacy of oral administration of hyaluronic acid for knee health found that participants that ingested hyaluronic acid while undergoing quadriceps strength training reported greater improvement in their knees compared with a placebo group throughout the length of the study.

Skin hydration

When the skin is hydrated, wrinkles are less noticeable, ensuring the skin also looks younger and smoother. Studies on hyaluronic acid and skin aging show that hyaluronic acid is a key molecule for skin hydration and due to the ability and capacity to retain water.

Skin aging is largely associated with the loss of skin moisture, either from daily exposure to damaging elements or from natural aging. Hyaluronic acid is abundant in the skin, accounting for 50% of the total hyaluronic acid in the body. It regulates water balance, osmotic pressure and ion flow in the dermis.

Studies on ingesting hyaluronic acid to moisturize dry skin found that skin moisture improved for patients that experienced dry skin, and improved overall quality of life.

As the body ingests hyaluronic acid, it is transferred to the skin and absorbed by the liver. Hyaluronic acid that is transferred to the skin is resynthesized and promotes cell proliferation and water retention.

Wound healing

Studies on hyaluronic acid in inflammation and tissue regeneration show that hydraulic acid is a key player in the tissue regeneration process and the phases of wound healing, particularly for inflammation and during the angiogenesis process – the formation of new blood vessels.

Hyaluronic acid is a main component of the extracellular matrix – the intricate network that contributes to the mechanical properties of tissues. Further studies on hyaluronic acid and wound healing show that high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid plays a prominent role in the earliest stages of wound repair.

Is High Molecular Weight Hyaluronic Acid Well-Absorbed?

It was long believed there were no benefits of hyaluronic acid capsules when taken orally, as it had no real clinical benefits because of hyaluronic acid’s molecular weight, which is particularly high. However, the bioavailability of orally administered hyaluronic acid is now well documented.

The absorption of orally administered hyaluronic acid in animals has shown that when administered orally, some hyaluronic acid molecules are perfectly capable of reaching the bloodstream and various body tissues. This discovery concurs with the recorded effects of hyaluronic acid supplementation in horses and other animals as well as in humans.

It is believed that these molecules cross the gut wall via micro-particles and that part of them reaches peripheral tissues such as the skin and joints without any difficulty. The transport of hyaluronic acid in the body is, in any case, a completely normal physiological process.

It is therefore entirely appropriate that hyaluronic acid should be available in dietary supplement form.

Why is it Better to Take a High Molecular Weight Supplement?

The study on hyaluronic acid and skin aging that was previously cited in the section discussing skin hydration notes how low molecular weight hyaluronic acid molecules have a completely different function in the body: they can activate cascades of molecular events which trigger the release of inflammatory cytokines. Following trauma, enzymes break the hyaluronic acid up into multiple molecules of lower molecular weight, which have a pro-inflammatory effect.

These effects are not seen with large hyaluronic acid molecules, which support the belief that they are not broken down by digestive enzymes before crossing the intestinal barrier.

Besides Taking Hyaluronic Acid Capsules, what Else Should I Do?

Alongside supplementation with hyaluronic acid, the following steps are highly recommended:

• Gradually increase the time you spend exercising every day.
• Avoid making too many repetitive movements or putting too much strain on painful joints.
• Do not stay immobile for extended periods of time; regularly change position to reduce muscle and joint stiffness.
• Consider physiotherapy or phytotherapy for reducing pain. Super Boswellia, which contains boswellic acid and helps reduce joint pain and inflammation is available to buy at SuperSmart.

Hyaluronic Acid Supplement Side Effects

Though different studies on the efficacy for orally consuming hyaluronic acid for knee pain as well as for improving skin hydration and reducing skin roughness found no oral hyaluronic acid side effects, it is vital to consult with a health professional before taking any supplements.

We recommend discussing the adoption of dietary hyaluronic acid supplements into your wellness routine with your primary care provider first. Together, you can evaluate other supplements, medications, and over-the-counter products you are taking to ensure there will not be any negative interactions. You can also discuss your current health condition to ensure taking hyaluronic acid will be beneficial to you.

Until more research is performed, it is generally recommended that pregnant and nursing mothers avoid taking this supplement unless instructed otherwise by a physician.

If you begin taking a hyaluronic acid oral supplement and notice any adverse reactions, stop taking it immediately and contact your healthcare provider. Only after a careful review and recommendation from your healthcare provider should you begin your regimen once again.

Keep all supplements out of the reach of children and pets. In addition, avoid taking any supplement that has exceeded its "best by" date.