Do You Need a Lube Job for Your Joints?

When I was driving to work one morning, I turned on the radio and a scientist and the radio host talked about the benefits of Hyaluronic Acid.

WHAT IS HYALURONIC ACID?
Hyaluronic Acid functions as the “glue” that keeps your cells together. It is a key component of collagen and fills the spaces between your cells.

HYALURONIC ACID RESEARCH
Hyaluronic acid (HA) has been used for years by both human and veterinary medical doctors in injectable form to replenish the lubricating synovial fluid of the joints. It is used to treat osteoarthritis of the knee as well as various other joints of the body with significant success.
It has been shown that an oral supplement of Hyaluronic acid is readily absorbed through the intestines into the blood stream and distributed throughout the body in organs, bone and joints, according to a report presented by Dr. Alex Schauss, at the 2004 Experimental Biology Conference.
Hyaluronic acid helps cushion joints, reduce inflammation and carry nutrients to cartilage, in part, due to its excellent ability to retain water. Hyaluronic acid is available in injectable form under various names and is an FDA approved treatment for pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee attesting to the numerous studies showing its efficacy.
In a study published in the February 8th, 2008 edition of Nutrition Journal, researchers at Miami Research Associates showed that an oral dose of an 80 milligram supplement containing Hyaluronic acid showed greater benefit than a placebo for osteoarthritis of the knee.

HYALURONIC ACID'S FUNCTION
Until the late 1970s, hyaluronan was described as a "goo" molecule, an ubiquitous carbohydrate polymer that is part of the extracellular matrix. HA not only helps keep the cartilage that cushions joints strong and flexible, but also helps increase supplies of joint-lubricating synovial fluid.
Hyaluronic acid is a component of synovial fluid, and is found in the vitreous humor of the eye, the synovia of joints, and in subcutaneous tissue where it functions is as a cementing agent. Hyaluronic acid is a glycosaminoglycan with anti-inflammatory and anti-edematous properties. In osteoarthritis, changes occur in the hyaluronic acid found in cartilage leading to degradation of the cartilage.

HOW TO MAKE BONE BROTH
Scientists say they have confirmed what grandmothers have known for centuries -- that chicken soup is good for colds. One of the ways that bacteria enter the body is by breaking through the hyaluronic acid barrier. So perhaps this is one of the reasons chicken soup really does work against infections and colds. Maybe the hyaluronic acid in the broth prevents bacteria and viruses from invading the body. Additionally, there are nutrients from the bones and cartilage that can help with your joint health.

SOURCES OF HA
One woman even suggested to boil chicken feed because they are just cartilage. The liquid HA which is injected in the joints by the medical establishment is derived from the comb of the rooster. Some scientists are now looking into the vitreous humor of certain fish.



Chicken Stock Soup Recipe

OTHER BENEFITS OF HA
Hyluronic Acid is present in every tissue of the body. It has many functions including stimulating the tissue’s water retention capabilities. Hyluronic Acid also helps to provide nutrients and remove waste from cells that do not have a direct blood supply. Additionally, Hyluronic Acid is found in the skin and in the synovial fluid in the joint cavities. Hyluronic acid is now used frequently by manufacturers of topical anti-aging creams. Many anti-aging and anti-wrinkle creams contain hyluronic acid as the major active ingredient in the cream, as it is said to be natural wrinkle filler, and there is little or no chance of the body reacting badly with it. Injections of Hyluronic Acid are also available. Professionals who promote these injections of Hyluronic Acid say that it can improve the skin’s contour, reduce wrinkles and also help correct skin damage due to scarring.

In a study published in the February 8th, 2008 edition of Nutrition Journal, researchers at Miami Research Associates showed that an oral dose of an 80 milligram supplement containing Hyaluronic acid showed greater benefit than a placebo for osteoarthritis of the knee.

VILLAGE OF LONG LIFE
There is a village in Japan, Yuzurihara, about two hours west of Tokyo, where people grow old, without the modern day ailments. These aged villagers of Yuzurihara, Japan, had smooth skin, flexible joints, thick hair and few needed reading glasses. Many older residents of Yuzurihara
were still farming their fields into their 80’s. These people defied their calendar age.
Dr. Toyosuke Komori, the town doctor, wrote five books about Yuzurihara in the 1970’s and 80’s. He attributed the youthful aging of these people to a low-iron, sticky vegetable-based diet. These villagers were shorter than other Japanese adults of the same age, which likely means their diet was lacking iron which is a growth factor. Dr. Komori also attributed the youthful appearance of these villagers to a molecule called Hyaluronic Acid. HA is the water-gelling molecule of the human body. It traps water in the cells and keep the body hydrated.

HYALURONIC ACID AS ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
Scientists have known about HA for more than 70 years. Not until recently, have they understood the benefits HA regarding its anti-inflammatory properties.