
Loved by women and men, it can be found in cosmetics and supplements, and never seems to go out of style. Hyaluronic acid, let’s see its uses and where to find it.
Once considered a woman’s best friend, it is found in a variety of products, not just cosmetics but supplements and medical devices. It has many uses; let’s discover them together!
HYALURONIC ACID: where to find it?
Let’s begin by saying that hyaluronic acid is physiologically present in our bodies. In particular, it is a component that is characteristic of the connective tissue, including the dermis, but is also found in the synovial fluid, meaning the liquid inside the joints. Unfortunately, its production lessens with age.
It has a very complicated structure because it consists of the union of two simple sugars, glucuronic acid and N-acetylglucosamine, which repeat themselves forming a sort of linear yet extremely flexible chain. But there’s more. This chain tends to bond with water molecules and other substances, creating protective gels.
HYALURONIC ACID: what are its uses?
It was first used in cosmetics, in particular for ageing skin. Due to its structure, it is in fact an excellent component for moisturising the skin. Moisturised skin is less likely to develop wrinkles.
It is reductive, however, to limit its use solely to cosmetics.
In medical devices
The humectant and moisturising properties of hyaluronic acid are are very useful, for example, in eye drops created for dry and irritated eyes or in nose sprays for rhinitis and colds, for moisturising mucous membranes.
In dietary supplements
Nowadays it is increasingly common to take it as an oral supplement. Let’s see in what kind of supplements hyaluronic acid can be found:
- Supplements, in association with VITAMIN C, for the skin and cartilage: Vitamin C contributes to the formation of collagen, which is useful for the normal function of the skin and cartilage. Associating this vitamin with hyaluronic acid can be useful.
- Supplements in tablet form that can be dissolved in the mouth: dietary supplements made with substances with an emollient effect on the mucous membrane, such as Mallow, can also have hyaluronic acid in their composition. In that case, a high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid is better as it is used for the most part locally.
HYALURONIC ACID of plant origin
Initially, hyaluronic acid was obtained exclusively from rooster combs. With time, it became possible to extract it from other animal sources. Nowadays, there are sources of non-animal hyaluronic acid obtained through biofermentation processes. This allows everyone’s needs to be met, even those in favour of a vegan diet.
This latter type of hyaluronic acid is increasingly more common in dietary supplements.