THE HYALURONIC ACID REVOLUTION IS COMING

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http://www.askbillsardi.com/sdm.asp?pg=news & specific=68

 

7/29/2003

A WRINKLE IN THE NEW

ANTI-WRINKLE STORY

THE HYALURONIC ACID REVOLUTION IS COMING, BUT NOT THE ONE YOU WILL HEAR ABOUT IN

THE NEWS PRESS

 

By Bill Sardi

 

The press releases are written. The plastic surgeons are gearing up. The FDA

approval of injectable hyaluronic acid (Restylane- Q-Med, Sweden) for the

treatment of fine facial lines and wrinkles is soon anticipated. The

president-elect of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery says “Restylane

is going to revolutionize this industry in the same way botox did.”

 

Just listen to the testimonials on the changes brought about in facial

appearance by hyaluronic acid (HA):

 

“So far, I feel a change in my skin, after only two weeks, a lot softer and

smoother after only two weeks.” -Christa

“The first month people noticed immediately how the wrinkles on my face were

eliminated.” -Lydia

“I have noticed how my wife’s appearance changed gradually. People we haven’t

seen for awhile can’t get over the transition of her looks. My wife is 49 years

of age and now looks like women 10 to 15 years her junior.” -Ken

 

But the people who experienced these benefits aren’t talking about injectable

HA, they are talking about oral HA taken as a dietary supplement.

 

As the medical community begins to ready itself for FDA approval of injectable

Restylane, thousands of Americans are already using oral hyaluronic acid

supplements and experiencing a wide array of health benefits, not just reduction

of fine facial lines and wrinkles.

 

Since hyaluronic acid acts as a spongy shock absorber for nerves and the ends of

bones, oral HA supplementation has brought about unheard of testimonies from

consumers. Here are some of them:

 

“It hit me a month after I started taking oral HA that my wrists and hands were

no longer falling asleep.” -Carol

“For the past 25 years I have suffered with back pain that was caused by a

ruptured disc. Since taking the HA the pain is gone!” - David

“I’m completely free of the low back pain which I have been suffering for years.

I am 49 years old and have osteoarthritis and scoliosis of the spine.” -Margaret

“About 4 years ago I gave up my physical therapy profession due to chronic

unbearable pain in my lower back. Since taking the oral HA formula, I’ve been

working out again.” -Lori

“I’ve experienced severe, ongoing pain in recent months in the hip joint and

leg. Oral hyaluronic acid seems to have provided the missing link as claimed.

After one month I’ve experienced a dramatic lessening of pain, and for days at a

time I have none at all.” -Dolores

“I’m only 32 years old and I was in fear I was getting close to knee surgery. I

was having trouble and pain from simply standing and walking. After taking oral

HA for only two weeks, I can’t believe the pain in both knees is completely

gone!” -Larry

 

And the health benefits of oral hyaluronic acid don’t stop there. Chronic dry

skin conditions like psoriasis are a nagging and often relentless problem. Since

the skin requires HA to maintain moisture. But here is what one man had to say:

 

“I have had psoriasis since about 10 years of age. I am 74 years of age now. I

have been to many medical experts and taken a widely promoted zinc product, to

no avail. Within a week of taking oral HA my psoriasis subsided 80-90 percent.

Within a couple of weeks it had completely disappeared.” -Jim

 

Since HA helps to retain moisture in the shafts of human hair, it is no wonder

these following reports have been received:

 

“As I grew older my hair became very thin, to the point of being able to see my

scalp on either side of my head. But in the last month my hair has grown in and

has thickened. Amazing! My hairdresser could see the difference. I had not

changed any medication, diet, nothing except taking oral HA.” -Kathy

 

The most dramatic results received from taking oral HA so far were reported by a

woman in Florida. Her whole body was out of HA. As she said in a telephone

interview:

 

“I play a lot of golf. My knees were painful. My knee was also clicking. After a

couple of weeks my knee started feeling better. Now, I have no noise in my

knees, and no pain.”

“My skin also improved, particularly around the mouth area. The fine lines and

wrinkles disappeared. After two weeks I looked in the mirror and my face looked

different. I’ve had two face lifts and this was working better.”

“My hair was thinning and I had been using Rogaine for a number of years. I went

to have my hair cut and my hair stylist said she believed my hair was getting

thicker.”

“I noticed definite improvement in my close-up vision. I noticed I didn’t need

to get up close to the TV screen to see the listings on the programs. I told the

golf pro that I didn’t need reading glasses any longer. He was amazed.” -Cheryl

 

The testimonies go on and on. People report smoother hands and relief from

cracking skin, relief from hot flashes and night sweats during menopause, lower

fluid pressure in their eyes (glaucoma), disappearance of floaters in the eyes,

less dependence upon reading glasses, and yes, even remission of symptoms of a

genetic connective tissue disorder, Marfan syndrome. Scientific studies indicate

HA may be potentially be useful in the treatment of heart and blood vessel

disease, interstitial cystitis, cancer and fibromyalgia. These applications

remain to be proven.

 

While these case reports aren’t scientific studies, the public isn’t waiting

around to get a permission slip from medical journals. They want to look and

feel young again, now.

 

HA: what a molecule

 

Hyaluronic acid is soon to become a household word, particularly for aging baby

boomers who want to retain a youthful appearance. Hyaluronic acid is the

water-gelling molecule of the body and it certainly may live up to its calling

as the “fountain of youth.” After all, HA is what fills space and provides

cushioning in the connective tissues throughout the body. Just 1000 milligrams

of HA will hold about 6 liters of water in the body.

 

The human body makes a few thousand milligrams of HA every day and some HA is

degraded to make room for new HA. Infants have very high levels of HA which

keeps them from developing scars from cuts, scrapes and bruises. But with

advancing age HA production slowly diminishes and degradation accelerates. The

body tissues begin to shrink. By age 80 humans have lost about an inch in

height, much of it due to the loss of HA. The visible signs of aging, wrinkled

skin, receding hair, stiff joints and the need for reading glasses can all be

attributed to the gradual loss of HA. Studies even reveal that an “old sounding”

guttural voice is caused by lack of moisture-holding HA in the vocal cords.

 

Think of what oral HA supplements might do for people recovering from burns? How

about athletes who have worn out a shoulder or a hip joint from throwing or

running?

 

Glucosamine: only half the cure

 

Approximately $374 million of glucosamine sulfate is sold annually, taken by

consumers for symptoms of osteoarthritis. Glucosamine is only one half the

molecule of HA. Hyaluronic acid is a repeating sugar-like molecule of glucuronic

acid and hyaluronic acid. Potentially, all glucosamine supplements would be

replaced by oral HA.

 

Oral absorption

 

Orthopedic, dermatologic and plastic surgeons are under the false assumption

that hyaluronic acid is too big a molecule to be absorbed orally. In the body

hyaluronic acid is up to 6 million Daltons in molecular weight. Some of the

hyaluronic acid supplements are as low as 1500-3000 Daltons, certainly low

enough to be absorbed orally.

 

So, while dermatologists and plastic surgeons will be interviewed by the news

media on the benefits of HA injections (they outlast collagen injections by

about six months) and will be advertising their Restylane treatments widely, the

oral HA revolution is quietly moving ahead. No question, Restylane has been used

in relative safety for four years outside the US, but what about oral HA? When

medical doctors hear about it they are likely to conger up reports of side

effects and attempt to put a stop to the competition. It wouldn’t be the first

time doctors did so.

 

How much HA?

 

This investigator determined it takes about 150 milligrams per day to replace

what the body needs.* Some people need a little more, some a little less. There

are many brands of HA supplements now entering the marketplace. Some brands

obtain HA from rooster combs, others from fermented HA and still others from

chicken sternum cartilage. All these are viable but maybe not plentiful sources

of HA. One HA dietary supplement says 140 milligrams of HA on the front label,

but when you read the Supplement Facts box in small print it only provides 12.6

mgs of HA. Another liquid HA supplement only provides about 2 milligrams of HA

per drop, hardly enough to produce any effect. One nagging supplier of HA says,

without substantiation, that only un-denatured HA is acceptable. This is untrue.

 

Contraindications

 

Of course, the manufacturers of these oral HA supplements cannot make claims

their products cure or prevent any disease. Consumers are finding out for

themselves how HA works. Oral HA supplements do not interfere with any

medications. They should not be taken with estrogen therapy, nor taken during

pregnancy when hormone levels are high. They should not be used by cancer

patients with lymphedema. Misleading information posted on the internet suggests

HA should not be taken by cancer patients. But low-molecular weight oral HA is

being used successfully in animal studies to treat cancer. Alert readers may

find reports of elevated HA levels surrounding tumors, but this is only because

more HA is being made to repair damaged tissues. Elevated HA levels in the blood

circulation are a marker for tumors, but should not be considered as a cause of

tumors. Some individuals apparently have difficulty absorbing oral HA and report

some bloating. Obviously the HA is gelling up in their stomach.

Since HA holds water, a sign of too much HA is a noticeable increase in thirst.

The dosage should then be reduced.

 

Consumers should look for oral HA products that provide an adequate dosage.

Determine how many pills it takes to get 150 mgs per day. Also, additional

antioxidant stabilizers are important to hold onto the HA once it enters the

body so it won’t be broken down by free radicals. Some good antioxidants that

help preserve HA are quercetin, IP6 rice bran extract, grape seed and

bioflavonoids.

 

The most advanced HA product offers fish and borage oils that hold moisture in

cells along with HA that holds moisture in connective tissue. The following is

the list of current major-brand HA products that this author is aware of:

 

Products rated GOOD by this author:

 

Purity Products Ultimate HA Formula: from chicken sternum cartilage, molecular

weight 1500-3000 Daltons, provides 150 mgs of HA in 3 capsules. Includes

antioxidant stabilizers. Not available in stores. Go to www.purityproducts.com.

 

Purity Products VITAL HA MAX: provides 150 mgs of HA from chicken sternum

cartilage, molecular weight 1500-3000 Daltons, in 3 softgel capsules with

antioxidant stabilizers and moisturizing essential oils (borage and fish oil).

Not available in stores. Go to www.purityproducts.com.

 

Skin Eternal, Source Naturals, 50 mg HA per tablet, molecular weight 1500-3000

Daltons, from chicken sternum cartilage. 3 tablets per day provide 150 mg.

 

Other HA products:

 

Natural Hyaluronic Acid, Lifetime Vitamins, HA from fermentation process, front

label says 140 mg but actually only 12.6 mg is provided. Would require 12 pills

for 150 mg of HA.

 

Synthovial 7, Hyalogic, liquid HA supplement, pure HA from fermentation process,

provides only 2.14 mg HA per drop. Molecular weight 2.4 – 2.8 million Daltons.

Would require 75 drops per day to obtain the recommended 150 mg per day.

 

Solaray Hyaluronic Acid, produced by fermentation, 20 mg per capsule. Would

require 7 pills a day for the recommended 150 mg per day.Injuv Hyaluronic acid,

 

Source Naturals, provides HA from rooster comb. 140 mg softgel capsule provides

only 12.6 mg of HA. Would require 12 pills a day to obtain 150 mg of HA.

 

SkinGlow, Nutricology, HA from rooster comb. 210 mg softgel capsule provides ~20

mg of HA. Would require about 7 pills a day to obtain 150 mg of HA.

 

*For further information, refer to the book HOW TO LIVE 100 YEARS WITHOUT

GROWING OLD by Bill Sardi at www.hereandnowbooks.com.

 

Bill Sardi currently serves as a consultant and spokesperson for Purity Products

and other companies.

 

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