Hyaluronic acid
Best studied for: Joint pain and stiffness; Dry or aging skin; Dry eyes. Joint pain relief, skin hydration, dry eye relief, and wound healing support.
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What is h yaluronic acid ? Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance found in the human body. It is a glycosaminoglycan and is present in connective tissues, skin, and joints. How does it work? Hyaluronic acid is used for medicinal purposes to treat joint pain and osteoarthritis. It helps to lubricate joints and reduce inflammation. What are the active ingredients that are important for its medicinal properties? Hyaluronic acid is the active ingredient. What forms does it come in? Hyaluronic acid comes in various forms, including oral supplements, injections, and topical creams. What can happen if I have an imbalance or deficiency? A lack of hyaluronic acid can cause joint pain and stiffness. If you have an imbalance or deficiency, you may experience joint pain and discomfort. When was it first used for medicinal purposes? Hyaluronic acid has been used for medicinal purposes since the 1980s.
Helps
What does Hyaluronic acid help with? Hyaluronic acid, or HA, is a slippery substance your own body makes. It is well established that HA holds water in skin and cushions joints. You can take it as a pill, rub it on skin, or use it in eye drops or vaginal gels. The human evidence here is stronger than for most supplements. HA eye drops for dry eyes rest on many clinical studies. Oral HA for joints and skin also has good trial support, but not every use on this page does. Dry, gritty, irritated eyes Strong evidence — multiple clinical studies of HA eye drops. HA eye drops are among the best-studied dry eye products. In many clinical studies, people using them reported less irritation, redness and discomfort. Those studies support HA acting as a moisture-binding lubricant on the eye surface. Evidence grade A · Traditional tier T0 Joint pain and stiffness from osteoarthritis Strong evidence — several well-designed human trials of oral HA. It is well established that HA is a main part of joint fluid, and that levels drop a lot in arthritic joints. In several well-designed human trials, people taking HA by mouth had better knee pain scores and moved more easily. The gains showed up most in early to moderate osteoarthritis. Evidence grade A · Traditional tier T0 Dry skin that has lost its plumpness Good evidence — human clinical trials of oral HA. It is well established that HA holds much of the water in skin, and that levels fall as you age. In human clinical trials, people taking oral HA had better skin moisture and more stretch in the skin. Fine lines looked less obvious too. Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T0 Wrinkles and sagging, less springy skin Good evidence — controlled human trials over 4 to 12 weeks. In controlled human trials, oral HA lowered wrinkle depth and raised skin elasticity. The changes showed up after 4 to 12 weeks of daily use. Topical HA was studied for surface moisture, and oral HA for deeper support. Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T0 Vaginal dryness and pain during sex Good evidence — well-studied vaginal HA gels and suppositories. Vaginal HA gels and suppositories have been well studied, mostly in women past menopause. In that research, women reported more moisture and less discomfort during sex. They were looked at as an option next to hormone creams, without the risks tied to estrogen. Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T0 Cuts, grazes and surgical wounds that heal slowly Good evidence — clinical research on topical HA. It is well established that HA takes part in the body's own repair of wounds. It helps hold water at the wound site and guides tissue rebuilding. In clinical research, HA put on the skin sped healing of skin wounds and surgical sites, with less scarring. Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T0 Everyday knee aches, with no diagnosis Early evidence — human trials in people without a diagnosed joint condition. Some human trials looked at knee discomfort from activity or age alone. People taking oral HA each day reported less knee pain during normal tasks and exercise. The benefit built up over 4 to 8 weeks of steady use. Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T0 Sore joints after hard exercise Early evidence — limited clinical data in athletes and active adults. Athletes and active adults taking oral HA have reported less joint soreness and quicker recovery. Clinical data suggest daily HA may help keep joints better cushioned under the stress of exercise. The human data here are limited, so treat this as early work. Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T0 Heartburn and acid reflux Early evidence — one human clinical study of a combination formula. One human clinical study used a combined formula with HA and chondroitin sulfate. People taking it had a meaningful drop in reflux symptoms. Early research suggests HA may coat and shield the lining of the food pipe. Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T0 What Hyaluronic acid has not been shown to do HA on its own has not been shown to ease ref
