Hyaluronic acid:
The Foundation of Structure
Hyaluronic Acid (HA) may very well be the single most important compound for the healthy structure of your body. It is a simple compound, entirely carbohydrate, formed by the connections of two sugars (D-Glucuronic acid and N-Acetyl Glucosamine). These two sugars (called a disaccharide unit) are then strung together in a very long linear chain of identical disaccharide units (a polysaccharide) to form an HA molecule. This type of nutrient is also known as a glycosaminoglycan (GAG). One molecule of HA may have as many as 10,000 disaccharide units. The weight of this long chain is measured in Daltons, weighing in between 1 to 1.5 million Daltons. This large molecule of HA cannot be absorbed by the human digestive tract as it is simply too long to enter endothelial cells lining the digestive tract.*
Wellness Resources uses the only form of hyaluronic acid (low molecular weight) that has been proven to be absorbed. It is extracted from rooster comb (a naturally occurring source), purified and enzymatically split into smaller pieces through a patented process (Japan Patent 2971860). This yields the only low molecular weight hyaluronic acid on the market today, weighing in at around 5000 Daltons.*
WARNING: sodium hyaluronate, being marketed as an inexpensive dietary supplement, is not the naturally occurring compound made by all cells of your body. It has salt attached to every single disaccharide unit. Not only does this increase sodium intake, the HA molecule itself is abnormal. The product is typically made in China through bacterial fermentation, contains molecules too large to absorb, and has not been proven to absorb. This abnormal molecule cannot be relied on to behave in metabolism correctly.
HA is the key component of the matrix that connects all of your cells together to form your body. This matrix is made of a framework of various protein structures (collagen and proteoglycans). The spaces within this framework are filled with HA. The structure of HA enables it to hold water in tissues, forming a goo that provides cushioning, resiliency, and moisture. For example, HA is concentrated in the eye to help protect the eye against impact, acting like a shock absorber.*
HA is a primary component of healthy skin, about 50% of the structural HA in the body is contained in the skin matrix. Declining skin levels of HA are associated with dryness, reduced flexibility, and wrinkles. In a study conducted at Ostuma University in Japan, 96 women, aged 22 to 65 years, were given 6 capsules of the HA used by Wellness Resources for 45 days. At the end of the study 80 women reported improvement in skin moisture and smoothness.*
As mentioned earlier, HA is one type of glycosaminoglycan (GAG), unique in that it is all carbohydrate and no sulfur. In addition to its goo-like properties HA forms the spine or backbone of other GAGs.* Other GAGs contain sulfur, also important for body structures. Common GAGs are: chondroitin sulfate (cartilage), keratin sulfate (cartilage, bone, and cornea), dermatan sulfate (skin, tendons, lungs, blood vessels, heart valves), and heparin sulfate (cell membranes).
GAGs combine to form larger molecules called proteoglycans, which link to other proteins and collagen to form your body. Although HA is not the most dominant compound in these structures, it is the one that is vital to the structure existing like the foundation of a house. HA is now recognized as an important nutrient that helps calcium for bone.*
Joints are lubricated by synovial fluid. HA is the primary component of synovial fluid. This is a lubricating function, much like oil is used to lubricate moving parts in a machine. In the human body HA helps to lubricate the cartilage of joints. A well-lubricated joint has 100 times less friction than ice skates on ice. HA is our top product for joints often used in conjunction with Chondroitin Plus.
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