Part 1 - HYALURONIC ACID INSIDE/OUT – Hyaluronic acid within our body and how to protect, stimulate and supplement.

MY BODY Hyaluronic acid (HA)

Beginning and End!

We have around 15 grams of Hyaluronic acid within our bodies.
More than half is located in skin and remainder; muscles, skeleton, joints, blood and lymph.
Every day we lose around one third (5 grams) of our total Hyaluronic acid content.
Fibroblast cells work hard to regenerate those 5 grams of Hyaluronic acid
With age the fibroblasts begin to produce (regenerate) less Hyaluronic acid.
Environmental factors can increase the speed in which Hyaluronic is naturally degraded.
In the later years it’s possible to have ultra-low levels, even zero Hyaluronic acid left.

Hyaluronic acid – AKA Water Fountain of Youth

A child’s body is around 80% water, average adult around 55/60% water.
Water is vital for our survival and fundamental for optimal health.
Lack of water (moisture) within our skin correlates directly to accelerated skin ageing.
Our bodies contain billions and billions (trillions) of cells which are surrounded by Collagen.
Collagen is an important protein, found within bone, cartilage and connective tissue.
Hyaluronic acid provides vital support by holding moisture, which keeps Collagen hydrated.
Hyaluronic acid is responsible for ensuring Collagen does not dry out and can be found in and around cells, collagen and connective tissue (the extracellular matrix).

HYALURONIC ACID CAN HOLD UPTO 1,000 TIMES ITS ORIGINAL WEIGHT IN WATER. THE HA MOLECULE ATTRACTS WATER, ABSORBS WATER AND EXPANDS, WHICH HAS A PLUMPING EFFECT ON THE SURROUNDING AREAS. THIS IS ONE REASON WHY LINES AND WRINKLES ARE REDUCED OR DISAPEAR, AFTER RE-OPTIMISING THE LEVELS OF HA WITHIN THE SKIN.

WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE AVERAGE MAN CONTAINS 60% WATER, AND THERE ARE AROUND 15 GRAMS HYALURONIC ACID MOLECULES WITHIN OUR BODY. MATHS: 1 GRAM OF HA CAN HOLD UPTO 1,000 TIMES IT WEIGHT IN WATER = 1000GRAMS OR 1LITRE OF WATER. 15 GRAMS OF HA CAN BIND/HOLD UP TO 15 LITRES OF WATER. THE AVERAGE MAN CONTAINS AROUND 40 LITRES OF WATER. AROUND ONE THIRD OF THE TOTAL WATER CONTENT WITHIN OUR BODIES IS RETAINED BY OUR HYALURONIC ACID MOLECULES.

OVER 50% OF THE TOTAL 15 GRAMS OF HYALURONIC ACID IS CONTAINED WITHIN OUR SKIN. THIS SUGGESTS THAT HYALURONIC ACID MOLECULES RETAIN OVER 7.5LITRES OF WATER WITHIN OUR SKIN. WITH AGE WE LOSE OUR NATURAL HYALURONIC ACID CONTENT WHICH RESULTS IN DRY SKIN WHICH LEADS TO THE FORMATION OF LINES AND WRINKLES. MAINTAINING HA WITHIN OUR SKIN WILL AT MINIMUM DECREASE THE VISIBLE SIGNS OF AGEING BY KEEPING SKIN HYDRATED AND PLUMP.

Conclusion: Hyaluronic acid is the amazing water-binding molecule which we have plenty of in childhood but which depletes with age. By understanding the importance of this molecule and the rate in which it depletes (synthesises), decreases more rapidly with age, allows us to take measures to protect and maintain this important anti-ageing molecule.

PROTECT Hyaluronic acid (HA)

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a component of our body from birth, but the production of this fundamental molecule decreases as we get older, which can result in both physical the visual ageing. If we could maintain the production and protect Hyaluronic Acid within our body, we would age slower.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is naturally broken down by enzymes within our bodies called Hyaluronidase. These Hyaluronidase enzymes are important to control HA levels but are also responsible for the destruction of Hyaluronic acid when the body may no longer be able to produce HA. The rate, in which Hyaluronidase enzymes are able to breakdown HA, can be increased and triggered by factors such as UV sunlight, viruses and excess minerals.

Aside from eating a good balanced diet we can try to counter the effects that our environment has on our bodies. One of the most well-known reasons for skin ageing is exposure to UV sunlight. Sunlight can induce excess free radicals (oxidants) within our skin, which can trigger Hyaluronidase enzymes to attack and degrade the Hyaluronic acid content. Many sunscreens on today’s market now advertise anti-oxidants which help to diffuse the hazardous capability of excess free radicals. Keep alert for products that have an ANTI-Hyaluronidase activity which contain ingredients that can fight the enzymes that destroy our HA content.

STIMULATE Hyaluronic acid (HA)

Hyaluronic acid is a component of our body from birth, but the production of this fundamental molecule decreases as we get older, which can result in both physical the visual ageing. If we could maintain the production and protect Hyaluronic acid within our body, we would age slower.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is naturally broken down by enzymes within our bodies called Hyaluronidase. These Hyaluronidase enzymes are important to control HA levels but are also responsible for the destruction of Hyaluronic acid when the body may no longer be able to produce HA. The rate, in which Hyaluronidase enzymes are able to breakdown HA, can be increased and triggered by factors such as UV sunlight, viruses and excess minerals.

Aside from eating a good balanced diet we can try to counter the effects that our environment has on our bodies. One of the most well-known reasons for skin ageing is exposure to UV sunlight. Sunlight can induce excess free radicals (oxidants) within our skin, which can trigger Hyaluronidase enzymes to attack and degrade the Hyaluronic acid content. Many sunscreens on today’s market now advertise anti-oxidants which help to diffuse the hazardous capability of excess free radicals. Keep alert for products that have an ANTI-Hyaluronidase activity which contain ingredients that can fight the enzymes that destroy our HA content.

SUPPLEMENT Hyaluronic acid (HA)

There is no test that can analyse how much Hyaluronic acid you have within your body. A blood test can show how much you have within your bloodstream but it’s unlikely to be much, unless you have excess amounts which are being excreted through your blood steam. What we do know is there are thousands of people that have used products containing Hyaluronic acid for many years, and the reviews and reports are simply astounding.

In addition to protecting our HA content and utilising methods to produce more HA naturally, it’s also worth considering reinforcing the hyaluronic acid content daily with oral supplements and/or topical skincare products. All good quality skincare products that contain Hyaluronic acid will at minimum provide excellent hydration benefits to the skin. There are many reports and certainly claims that skincare products reduce lines and wrinkles but this doesn’t happen overnight. Perhaps the most in demand method on today’s market for radical over-night change is done through injecting Hyaluronic acid directly into ageing skin. The injections are known as wrinkle filler injections or dermal filler injections and they use cross-linked Hyaluronic acid, which can last for 6-to-18months depending upon the injection manufacturer. Interestingly, even though the Hyaluronic acid is cross-linked, it will over time be broken down by our Hyaluronidase enzymes in the same way our own HA is broken down.

Whether you’re supplementing HA topically, orally or surgically the big fat benefit of the Hyaluronic acid anti-ageing molecule is its ability to hold moisture and keep skin plumped and hydrated. More recently we are now witnessing dry eye and other disorders of the eye not only being treated surgical but also daily, through the use of eye drops containing Hyaluronic acid.