Hyaluronic Acid Declines With Age, According To Research + What To Do To Replenish Your Supply

With age, the skin goes through structural changes. For example, and quite notoriously, the skin loses collagen starting at some point during the mid-to-late twenties. This decline continues at a rate of about 1% per year1 thereafter. Collagen loss is the root cause of many of the skin concerns commonly associated with aging, such as sagging, loss of firmness, and wrinkles. 

But it’s not the only change your skin experiences. Unfortunately, production slows of many skin components such as ceramides, elastin, fatty acids, and hyaluronic acid. Gasp. Yes, you read that right the skin loses its natural supply of hyaluronic acid (HA), the buzzy skin care ingredient found in serums, eye creams, moisturizers, and supplements. 

As noted, HA is a very buzzy topical skin care ingredient often found in face creams, serums, and supplements. It’s become a staple skin care ingredient over the last few years largely because it’s something that’s found naturally in the skin. 

So that’s all the good stuff. 

The bad news is that we lose our natural supply with age, and thus aren’t able to reap these benefits as effectively. 

Luckily, there are things to be done about HA decline, including both internal and external. And research backs up their use. 

The most popular are topical products, such as serums and creams, which can flood the skin with hydration. Studies of topical HA products8 have shown that use for as little as two weeks can result in skin that's more hydrated, softer, and more elastic than skin not treated with topical HA.

Other research shows that HA formulas can enhance skin hydration by up to 55%9, thus improving skin tone, brightness, supplements and volume. 

But it’s not just topical, studies indicate that oral administration (aka supplements) can also increase skin hydration and improve appearance. One randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that supplementing with HA significantly increased skin hydration.