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Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid, also called hyaluronan, is a compound the body makes itself and is present in skin and joint fluid.

Also listed as Hyaluronan, Hyaluronate (as sodium or potassium salt)

Hair & SkinBone & JointLongevity

What do the skin trials show?

A 2021 trial in 40 healthy Asian adults aged 35–64 tested 120 mg daily for 12 weeks. Facial hydration and several wrinkle and elasticity measures improved against placebo, although results differed across body sites. 1

Skin HydrationMixed

Positive short-term findings, with differences between measurements and study populations. 1 2

Does newer research broaden the picture?

A trial in 150 healthy White adults compared 60 mg, 120 mg and placebo over 12 weeks. The 120 mg group improved hydration, elasticity and eye-area wrinkle depth; redness and pore size did not change. Most authors were affiliated with the ingredient company Contipro. 3

How broadly do the findings apply?

Another randomized trial enrolled 129 women across different ages and skin types and reported improved hydration. Such studies broaden the populations studied, but remain studies of skin measurements rather than evidence of slower aging throughout the body. 4

What about sore knees?

A review describes improvements in some knee-pain trials, but many tested small groups or mixtures containing other ingredients. Those findings cannot isolate the effect of hyaluronic acid in every product. 5

Joint MobilityToo little evidence

Small, varied oral studies leave uncertainty about the benefit of hyaluronic acid alone. 5

What does the evidence not show?

The pooled skin analysis did not find significant benefits for firmness, wrinkle volume or water loss through the skin. Positive findings for one measurement do not mean every cosmetic outcome improves. 2

Effects by health goal

Open an effect to see the studies behind its rating. Bars show the size of the effect; the letter grades the evidence.

All studies

6 publications are linked to Hyaluronic Acid, newest first.

Hyaluronic Acid: A Key Ingredient in the Therapy of Inflammation2021Oral administration of hyaluronic acid to improve skin conditions via a randomized double‐blind clinical testOral Hyaluronan Relieves Wrinkles and Improves Dry Skin: A 12-Week Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled StudyIngestion of an Oral Hyaluronan Solution Improves Skin Hydration, Wrinkle Reduction, Elasticity, and Skin Roughness: Results of a Clinical StudyOral hyaluronan relieves knee pain: a reviewOral sodium hyaluronate relieves knee discomfort: A 12‑week double‑blinded, placebo‑controlled study

Sources