About Hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid is a glycosaminoglycan naturally present in skin, joints, and eyes. It can hold up to 1000× its weight in water, making it critical for tissue hydration. Oral supplementation has shown benefits for skin hydration/wrinkles (Oe et al. 2017) and joint comfort (Tashiro et al. 2012). Produced via microbial fermentation (vegan) or extracted from rooster combs. Generally very well tolerated. No established RDA/UL.
What Hyaluronic acid supports
- Supports skin hydration and moisture retention
- May reduce wrinkle depth and improve skin elasticity
- Lubricates joints and supports synovial fluid viscosity
- Naturally present in eyes, supports ocular moisture
How much Hyaluronic acid to take
Clinical studies typically use 50–200 mg of Hyaluronic acid. Most oral supplementation studies use 80–200 mg/day. Lower molecular weight forms may have better absorption. Skin hydration benefits typically seen at 120–240 mg/day in studies lasting 6–12 weeks.
- Effective range
- 50–200 mg
Forms of Hyaluronic acid compared
- INJUV (low MW HA)PremiumPatented low-MW HA; oral RCTs improved skin hydration at 70 mg/day (Kawada 2014).
- Low molecular weight HAPremiumSmaller fragments (<50 kDa) absorb meaningfully via the gut.
- Hydrolyzed HAStandardEnzymatically cleaved into shorter chains for oral uptake.
- Sodium hyaluronateStandardSalt form; needs 120–240 mg/day vs ~70 mg for low-MW HA.
- Hyaluronic acid (unspecified MW)StandardUnspecified MW — standard forms need 120+ mg/day
Clinical evidence
Moderate clinical evidence. Several clinical trials show benefits for skin hydration and joint comfort over 6-12 weeks
Examine.com