Whether you are looking to add some plump to your skin, or trying to find relief for an arthritic knee, your search is likely to bring you to hyaluronic acid, at some point. Hyaluronic acid is simply one of the body’s most amazing substances, that is increasingly found as a component of many cosmetic and medicinal products.
What is Hyaluronic Acid anyway?
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance found in your body. It’s popular as a vital component of the eye ball, your joints and your skin. It belongs to a special type of sugars called glycosaminoglycans. This bunch is known for their great water-holding capacity. Hyaluronic acid in particular, can hold water, up to 1000 times its own weight, a property which for instance keeps your skin looking youthful, plump and dewy (yeah, that’s a word). HA is one of the most important components of what’s called the extracellular matrix (ECM). This ‘ECM’ is basically all the stuff found between the cells in your body, that play various roles including the cushioning of cells, communication between cells and so many others. Among other things, HA facilitates the multiplication and movement of cells, something that’s really vital for skin rejuvenation
Hyaluronic acid can hold water, up to 1000 times its own weight, a property which for instance keeps your skin
looking youthful, plump and dewy
Natural Functions and Benefits of Hyaluronic Acid
The relationship between your body and hyaluronic acid is an intimate one. This is partly because of the vital functions this naturally occurring sugar plays. Here is what we know, at least for now
Skin Hydration
Hyaluronic acid hydrates and gives your skin that youthful boost. It works its magic on the skin through 3 main ways. First, it acts as a humectant moisturizer, by drawing water from the atmosphere and getting absorbed with it into the skin. It also aids in the movement of the cells in your skin, a property that facilitates the replacement of old outer skin cells with new ones from beneath. Thirdly, hyaluronic acid makes you glow by aiding the production of collagen, another anti-aging genius substance in your skin. These benefits are what makes hyaluronic acid a common ingredient in top performing age-defying skin care products
Speaking of magic………
Hyaluronic acid acts as a humectant moisturizer, drawing water from the atmosphere and getting absorbed with it into the skin
Bone and joint health
Hyaluronic acid protects bones from grinding by keeping joints well lubricated. It’s a vital component of synovial fluid – the viscous fluid found in your joints. Together with a protein called lubricin, hyaluronic acid gives synovial fluid that slimy property needed to keep your bones moving happily and fiction-free in joints. In a joint, the bones don’t touch directly, thanks to the rubber-like padding that covers and protects the ends of long bones. This padding, also called the cartilage, contains large amounts of hyaluronic acid which makes it resilient and resistant to deformation by forces exerted at the joint
Eye health
Hyaluronic acid keeps eyes lubricated and firm. It is found naturally in your eyes as a component of the vitreous body – the clear gel that fills the space inside your eye ball, giving it its firmness and keeping the lens and retina at the right distance for normal vision. It is also used as a lubricant and moisturizer in ‘artificial tears’ for people with medical condition s associated with dry eyes
Wound Healing
It’s great for your wound healing. As part of the healing process, the body naturally produces more hyaluronic acid in the site of injury. This extra supply of hyaluronic acid facilitates the healing process by regulating inflammation and aiding the building of new blood vessels in the injured area