Hyaluronic Acid - The Fountain of Youth?

Hyaluronic acid has been called The fountain of youth in the media because groups of people who consume a lot of it in their diets seem to live longer than average. Hyaluronic acid, which is also known as hyaluron, is found throughout the body in areas like joints and heart valves. Hyaluronic acid is a part of the connective tissue that cushions and lubricates. It is being studied as a treatment for connective system disorders such as Glaucoma, Keratoconus, muscle contractures and wrinkled skin, among other things.

Hyaluronic acid may indeed be a sort of fountain of youth since one of the main features of premature aging syndromes are hyaluronic acid abnormalities. Zinc or magnesium deficiencies may be involved in hyaluronic acid abnormalities. Magnesium in particular is needed for hyaluronic acid synthesis in the body. One thing that can degrade Hyaluronic acid is Vitamin C. Strep and staph are known to break down Hyaluronic acid.

HA is influenced by nutrition and other environmental factors. Good natural sources of Hyaluronic acid include starchy root vegetables such as satsumaimo and taro, as well as chicken skin and animal parts with a large concentration of hyaluronic acid.

What is Hyaluronic Acid?

Hyaluronic acid is a clear and oderless liquid which is often used by podiatrists and veterinarians to lubricate joints, strengthen meridians, melt hardened scar tissue and shorten injury recovery periods. It is used heavily by professional athletes.

Hyaluronic acid is one of the more heavily researched substances in medicine with literally thousands of clinical trials focusing on it. Hyaluronic acid is used to treat muscle spasms, fibromyalga and hardened tissue. It is also used to restore circulation and relieve pain.

The reason that Hyaluronic acid is so effective is because it is a water soluble oil that can selectively bond to water molecules or aqueous ions such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium, providing firmness in limp, soft tissue. It acts as a lubricant by allowing fibers to pass over each other smoothly, thus making the tissue softer. This is the reason that Hyaluronic acid is used to treat scarred tissue. Being a lubricant, HA allows the fibers of the scar tissue to slide past each other, making what used to feel hard become soft and flexible. It can also strengthen other structures like nerves and blood vessels.

Hyaluronic acid is capable of creating meridians by forming non-conducting tubes filled with highly conductive fluid. In other words, HA simply creates a pathway of high electrical conductivity by withdrawing from an area and leaving a high concentration of free aqueous ions. When we are tense or uptight the Hyaluronic acid in our body is tightly coiled, making our muscles and skin tense. This substantially slows down our ability to heal. But as we relax the Hyaluronic acid unwinds, allowing our muscles and skin to relax, which promotes healing.

Very basically, HA helps to hold water in the skin, providing essential moisture to body processes.  HA helps control cell migration which protect cells and also activates the white cells. Since HA is an endogenous substance, it can be used to reduce the need for antibiotics by stimulating the immune system.  HA helps reduce bacterial infections and has been found to inhibit the growth of a variety of strains of bacteria. It has also been concluded that HA even reduced the number of chronic bronchitis infections in patients.

 

There are many different options for supplementing your natural supply of Hyaluronic Acid. Currently, the most popular uses of  Hyaluronic acid supplements and products are to combat signs of aging such as wrinkles and as therapy for certain joint ailments.  Hyaluronic acid supplements also boast the ability to combat and help with everything from sexual dysfunction to sleep problems

Some examples of reported Hyaluronic acid benefits:

·         Increased Mobility

·         Softer Skin

·         Faster Wound Healing

·         Fibromyalgia Relief

·         Retinal Lubrication

·         Clearer Vision

·         Dry Skin Relief

·         Dietary Benefits

·         Improved Sleep

·         Stabilized Emotions

·         Improved Vitality

·         Reduced Fine Lines

·         Hair Growth

·         Hair Color Restoration

·         Tissue Reconstruction

·         Improved Bone Density

·         Increased Mental Alertness

·         Improved Muscle Strength

·         Increased Sexual Potency

·         Strengthening of Internal Organs

Medical Treatments

 

Products containing Hyaluronic acid are in use or are being researched to aid in the prevention and treatment of symptoms related to connective tissue disorders such as:

 

Fractures
Hernias  
Glaucoma  
Keratoconus 
Detached retinas  
Osteoarthritis (link)
TMJ 
Prevents scarring 
Vocal cord insufficiency  
Wrinkled skin  
Cartilage damage 
Wound healing 
Ligament Healing 

 

Osteoarthritis Treatment
 

Physicians have injected Hyaluronic acid directly into the synovial fluid in the knee as a treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee for the past 20 years.  There is, however, an ongoing debate as to the efficacy of this treatment.