Hyaluronic acid is naturally produced by the body and is abundant as long as people eat food which is rich in it.
As people age, the body produces less hyaluronic acid and collagen and this results in increased appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin.
Skin treatments like Juvederm help maintain adequate levels of hyaluronic acid even at old age.
One of the most known functions of hyaluronic acid is water retention.
It has qualities that keeps the tissues moist and well lubricated. This is why a lot of people who are looking to improve their skin are taking it as a supplement. It can also come as topical serums, eye drops and injections.
Aside from keeping the skin looking good, it also has a lot of health benefits.
Makes the Skin Healthier and More Supple Skin
Exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun, as well as pollution and tobacco and cigarette smoke can speed up the natural supply of hyaluronic acid in the skin which is already decreasing through the natural aging process in the first place.
It is advised to eat more food rich in hyaluronic acid or take supplements.
Taking it as a supplement will reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while it helps increase skin moisture.
Hyaluronic acid injections make the skin firmer. Topical treatments help combat redness and dermatitis.
Can Be Used for Faster Healing of Wounds
The body’s natural levels of hyaluronic acid increases when there is damage in need of repair. It works by regulating inflammation levels and signaling the brain to build more blood vessels in the wounded areas.
Hyaluronic acid applied directly on open wounds could help speed up its recovery process.
Compared to placebo and not getting any treatment, Applying hyaluronic acid on skin wounds reduces the size of wounds and even decreases pain faster.
It also has antibacterial properties that helps reduce risks of infection when applied directly to open wounds.
When used topically in the mouth, it speeds up healing after tooth surgery and eliminates ulcers.It’s effective in combating gum disease.
Studies are being conducted to know if taking it as a supplement can have the same effect.
Keeps Bones Lubricates to Relieve Joint Pain
The bones have a tendency to grind against each other when the joints are not well lubricated. This can be extremely painful.
Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in the joints and it keeps the space between the bones lubricated to prevent it from grinding against each other.
Hyaluronic acid supplements reduce joint pain effectively. It can greatly help people with osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis is a type of degenerative joint disease caused by wear and tear on the joints over time especially at old age.
80–200 mg daily of hyaluronic acid can significantly reduce knee pain in people with osteoarthritis most effectively even with people between the ages of 40 and 70 years old. Improvement can be noticed in as quick as two months.
Some who wanted something more instant choose injections even though it still needs more study to lessen risks.
Gives Relief to Acid Reflux Symptoms
Hyaluronic acid supplement combined with chondroitin sulfate may effectively reduce symptoms of acid reflux in a great majority of people.
It works by helping soothe the lining of the esophagus which has been damaged by the contents of the stomach that regurgitated up into the throat during acid reflux.
Hyaluronic acid also helps speed up the recovery process.
Relieves Dry Eye and Discomfort
Hyaluronic acid retains moisture. This is why it is often used to treat dry eye symptoms.
Hyaluronic acid is often an ingredient in eye drops. It helps relieve dry eye symptoms for those who may not have enough of it which should normally be found in the eyes
Eye drops that contain hyaluronic acid have been shown to reduce dry eye symptoms and improve eye health.
Studies are being made to know if taking it as a supplement can have the same effect.
Helps Preserve Bone Strength
It has been proven that high doses of hyaluronic acid helps prevent bone loss in animals so tests are being conducted to know its effectiveness with humans.
Can Relieve Bladder Pain
Since taking supplements by mouth may not be as effective, hyaluronic acid is being inserted directly into the bladder through a catheter to relieve bladder pain caused by interstitial cystitis.
Hyaluronic acid helps relieve pain and urinary frequency associated with a condition called interstitial cystitis, or painful bladder syndrome
This condition causes abdominal pain accompanied with a strong and frequent urge to urinate
Researchers found that hyaluronic acid helps repair damage to bladder tissue so this is making it less sensitive to pain.
While most of these health benefits mentioned here in this list needed further study, some methods of application are already proven to be effective and further studies are only needed to check if different approaches may be equally effective.
Outer application has been known to be more effective than taking pills which needed more research in terms of effectiveness. Nevertheless, people need their hyaluronic acid levels to be abundant to stay healthy.