In the world of skincare, one of the most prized ingredients for anti-aging is hyaluronic acid.
Hyaluronic acid is a substance that is naturally produced in the body. Most of it is found in the skin, joints, and eyes. What it does is hold so much water within tissue cells, keeping the skin young-looking, the joints lubricated, and the eyes moist.
Hyaluronic acid has many medical and commercial uses. It is also available in a variety of forms including creams, serums, eye drops, injectables, and food supplements.
For this blog, we will be focusing on what’s considered the best and most effective way of using hyaluronic acid, which is by taking it as a food supplement. Read further to learn more about the benefits of hyaluronic acid, as well as the possible side effects and precautions.
What are Hyaluronic Acid Supplements?
Hyaluronic acid supplements are made using artificial forms of the substance to help replenish the lost hyaluronic acid in the body. Hyaluronic acid, also known as hyaluronan, is a clear gooey substance. It is chemically considered as a polysaccharide, a type of carbohydrate that is essential in providing lubrication and hydration to body tissues and organs.
The levels of hyaluronic acid in the body decreases as you get older. Therefore, as you age, taking hyaluronic acid supplements continuously may help treat or prevent health conditions that are related to aging.
Sodium Hyaluronate vs. Hyaluronic Acid
Sodium hyaluronate is actually an ingredient extracted from hyaluronic acid. It’s the sodium salt form of HA. The other form is potassium hyaluronate. As the name suggests, sodium hyaluronate is the sodium salt version of HA. Extracting and using it separately is important because it changes how the substance behaves when used.
Like pure hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate can help your skin look youthful and supple. It also improves your joints and eye health. The difference comes down to molecular weight.
Hyaluronic acid has a higher molecular weight, which means it has larger molecules that’s better in coating the skin and preventing water loss, leading to better hydration.
Sodium hyaluronate on the other hand has a lower molecular weight than hyaluronic acid, which is an advantage. It is small enough to penetrate well into the skin, especially the top layer of the skin. Overall, it can improve hydration in the body better.
Since sodium hyaluronate is a part of hyaluronic acid, it is sometimes called “hyaluronic acid”. It may be listed as “hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate)” on the labels.
Other names include:
- Hyaluronate sodium
- Hyaluronic acid sodium
- Hyaluronic acid sodium salt
- Hyalurone sodium
Benefits of Hyaluronic Acid Supplement
The largest concentration of hyaluronic acid in the body are found in your skin, joints and eyes. Its main function is to retain water for lubrication and proper hydration. Regularly taking hyaluronic acid supplements are found to give you these benefits.
Anti-aging for Healthy Skin
Taking hyaluronic acid supplements for a long period of time are found to help with skin issues like wrinkles, fine lines, and dry skin. It is said to reverse aging because hyaluronic acid helps fill in gaps in wrinkles to improve the texture of the skin. It also increases skin moisture and soothes redness and irritation.
The anti-aging effects of hyaluronic acid supplement may vary from person to person based on certain factors that influence the skin, including genetics, nutrition, sun exposure, smoking and alcohol consumption, and pollution. We recommend to use hyaluronic acid supplements along with proper skincare habits including application of natural oil moisturizers such as coconut oil, castor oil, and sweet almond oil.
Faster Wound Healing
As it makes the skin look younger, hyaluronic acid supplement can also speed up wound healing. It is essential in damage repair. By regulating inflammation and telling the body to build more blood vessels in the damaged area, hyaluronic acid works as an agent for wounds to heal faster.
Applying hyaluronic acid directly to open wound in serum or cream form is most effective for wound healing. Oral supplements also boost the levels of hyaluronic acid in the skin and is also considered to provide some wound healing benefits.
Joint Pain Relief
When the joints are well-lubricated, the bones are less likely to grind against each other and cause pain and discomfort. Hyaluronic acid supplements are very helpful for runners, sportspersons, and especially those suffering from osteoarthritis.
Constant use of hyaluronic acid supplement maintains the lubrication in between bones. Hyaluronic acid serves as the cushion that minimizes wear and tear in the joints. This prevents conditions like joint pains and knee injuries. It also fosters better recovery, healing and pain relief.
Strong and Healthy Bones
Studies in animals have shown that high amounts of hyaluronic acid can increase the activity involved in building new bone tissues. This suggests that constantly taking hyaluronic acid supplements may promote strong and healthy bones while it helps prevent bone loss.
Remedy to Acid Reflux Symptoms
When acid reflux occurs, the contents of the stomach are being brought up into the throat, causing pain and damage to the lining of the esophagus. Because of the anti-inflammatory properties of hyaluronic acid, taking supplements that contain hyaluronic acid helps provide relief. Hyaluronic acid may help soothe the damaged lining of the esophagus while aiding the healing process.
Dry Eye and Discomfort
Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and moisturizing effects, hyaluronic acid can soothe dry eyes and discomfort. It may reduce symptoms like dryness, burning and itching. Since hyaluronic acid is great in maintaining moisture, your eyes stay feeling fresh.
Hyaluronic acid is often used as an ingredient in eye drops to reduce dry eye symptoms and improve overall eye health.
Possible Side Effects and Precautions
Hyaluronic acid is generally safe to use. Since the body naturally produces it anyway, allergic reactions are very rare.
However, pregnant or breastfeeding women and children below the age of 18 are advised to be cautious and avoid supplementing with it. For people with specific health issues such as cancer or have a history of cancer, we advise to consult a healthcare professional first before taking any dietary supplement.
Dosage
Oral hyaluronic acid supplements can be found online and in drugstores, health food stores and shops specializing in nutritional supplements. It is available in tablet, capsule or soft gel form.
The Shiny Leaf Hyaluronic Acid Supplement comes in vegetarian capsules, which are easy to swallow and digest. You only need to take 2 capsules with food daily. It needs to be taken consistently for a long period of time to have the best effects.
The capsule is 100% vegetarian and gluten-free, so it’s safe for daily consumption. Each capsule contains a powerful combination of hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate) and vitamin C.
Vitamin C supports collagen production and helps clear blemishes on the skin. The result is a younger-looking complexion that’s flawlessly healthy!
A Word from Shiny Leaf
If you want to make your skin more supple and hydrated especially during the cold months, consider using the Shiny Leaf Hyaluronic Acid Supplement with Vitamin C.
We can say that the benefits of this hyaluronic acid supplement go skin deep as it provides numerous benefits for the joints, bones and eyes too. Generally, hyaluronic acid is an important substance you need to take to support your body in coping up with skin aging such as the appearance of wrinkles and other age-related conditions like osteoarthritis and joint pains.
For more of your health supplement needs, check out our Wellness Products. Because we care for you!
