The Best Food Sources of Hyaluronic Acid According to Medical Studies

If you have been to a health food store or read a beauty or health magazine lately, chances are you have heard about hyaluronic acid and the effects it can have on your body. Claims have been made that optimum levels of this nutrient help us move around more easily, and can make us seem more youthful in our appearance.

Facts

• Hyaluronic acid is naturally produced by the body. It is a viscous, slippery material that lubricates the joints, maintains the shape of the eyeballs, and is a key component of connective tissue. HA is instrumental in giving your skin volume and fullness by absorbing and holding over 1,000 times its weight in water. It also transports nutrients to parts of the body, such as cartilage, that don't receive a supply of blood.

Significance

• As we age, our bodies produce less HA. This can lead to various joint problems and contribute to skin inelasticity, causing wrinkling and sagging. Because of this, many people are interested in natural ways of keeping their HA at optimum levels without resorting to prescription drugs and risking associated complications and side effects.

Research

• John Heinerman, a nutritionist, reports that there is a village near Tokyo, Japan, called Yusuri Hara, where more than 10 percent of the population--almost 10 times the American norm--is 85 years of age or older. He notes that these people have managed to "keep their skin tones supple, resilient, vibrant, and wrinkle-free."

Conclusions

• Heinerman cites findings by Dr.Toyosuke Komori, who studied and wrote books on longevity in Yusuri Hara. Dr. Komori concluded that certain starchy foods and gelatinous root vegetables promoted the formation of HA in the body, and were instrumental in the above-average health and appearance of the villagers. Examples of these beneficial foods included satsumaimo, a type of sweet potato; satoimo, a sticky white potato; konyaku, a gelatinous root concoction; and imoji, a potato root.

  Based on the studies of Dr. Komori, Heinerman concludes that other carbohydrate-rich and gelatinous foods more common to Americans such as papaya, mangos, parsnips and avocados should have the same effect in increasing HA as the foods found in the diet of the Yusuri Hara villagers.

  More of a meat eater? You're in luck. Since HA is found in high amounts in the skin and connective tissues in the joints of animals, animal products are a good dietary source of this nutrient. One example is old-fashioned chicken soup made from chicken stock. Other sources are any cuts of meat from an animal's chest, rump and legs.

  A 2003 study published in the "Journal of Pharmacological and Biophysical Research" indicates that soy milk significantly enhances the production of HA. Based on this, consuming virtually any soy product as a way to increase levels of HA would be advisable.

Precautions

• Maintaining the optimum level of HA is obviously important; however, a Nov. 10, 2002, study published in "PubMed" indicates that too much HA has been linked to certain types of malignancies. Therefore, it is important to consult a doctor before attempting to increase your level of HA, whether by food consumption or by supplements.