Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in human connective tissue and is an important component of youthful skin because it binds to water and provides volume. Dermatologists inject it in gel form into the skin to soften smile lines and reduce wrinkles. It is also approved as a drug for osteoarthritis treatment, although efficacy has been questioned.
BioCell Technology has a patent pending to cover oral and topical applications of hyaluronic acid derived from various natural sources for use in dietary supplements and cosmetics.
The new study was carried out on a product called BioCell Collagen II, a combination of collagen type II, chondroitin sulfate and a reduced molecular weight HA manufactured using patented technology.
In a 36-hour peak absorption study using a single dose, BioCell Collagen II HA significantly increased in the blood in four hours and peaked at a level 7008.62 per cent above control in 12 hours.
In a 28-day steady state bioavailability study using a constant daily dose, after seven days, BioCell Collagen II HA and its metabolites in the blood became stable, and these metabolites remained significantly increased throughout the balance of the study, reports the company.
The study suggests that this HA form can be rapidly transferred from the blood to tissues.The results contrast with previous published studies on other HA forms that found they were not absorbed and thus unavailable for use by the human body.