Bloomage Bioactive Nutrition 2022-11-04 09:31 Published in Shandong
“ Oral hyaluronic acid, "IQ tax" or "new world"? ”
In the era of "everything can use hyaluronic acid", hyaluronic acid is added to serum, facial masks, shampoo, eye drops, and even condoms. The broad boundary of "hyaluronic acid +" comes from consumers' recognition of its efficacy.
In the "White Paper on China's Beauty Consumption Trends" released by CBNData and Harper's Bazaar, hyaluronic acid ranked first in the list of "the most popular beauty and skincare ingredients" for many years in a row. More and more brands hope to use hyaluronic acid to attract consumers and increase attention. Regarding hyaluronic acid, new stories are still being staged.
In 2021, with the legalization of hyaluronic acid as a food ingredient in China, "hyaluronic acid + food" will usher in a new trend.
The classic brand got the hyaluronic acid food admission ticket for the first time.
For China's hyaluronic acid industry, January 7, 2021, set a milestone. On that day, the National Health and Medical Commission formally approved the request of Bloomage Biotechnology to declare sodium hyaluronate (that is, hyaluronic acid, commonly known as "hyaluronic acid") as a new food raw material, and it is allowed to be added to ordinary foods. The scope of use includes: Milk and dairy products, beverages, alcohol, cocoa products, chocolate and chocolate products, candies, frozen drinks, etc.
After more than 30 years of oral hyaluronic acid products being popular around the globe, the Chinese hyaluronic acid industry finally got the "ticket" for the hyaluronic acid food track. Subsequently, a large number of hyaluronic acid foods have sprung up like mushrooms after rain, and a new era of localization of hyaluronic acid foods has opened.
Thanks to the lasting consumer education in the beauty market and the popularity of foreign functional foods for Chinese users, more and more Chinese consumers are curious about oral hyaluronic acid. In 2021, the online search for "hyaluronic acid food" continued to remain high, with an annual increase of 283%.
Not only recognized by consumers but hyaluronic acid food is also favored by capital. According to incomplete statistics of Guanchao New Consumption, there are about 13 functional food financing events in 2021, behind which there are many leading institutions such as IDG Capital, Sequoia Seed Fund, Northern Light Venture Capital, and Huaying Capital.
With the continuous layout of consumer education and branding and capital, a track of functional food worth more than 100 billion yuan, has become clearer.
Oral Hyaluronic Acid, “IQ-tax” or “New World” ?
When hyaluronic acid food becomes a warming trend, whether the hyaluronic acid added in food can be well absorbed has become a topic of public concern and discussion. Questions such as "Is hyaluronic acid edible? Is it safe? What is the effect?” "Is hyaluronic acid food an IQ tax?” have been on the hot list of major web search.
As more and more Chinese experts began to pay attention to hyaluronic acid food, a large number of foreign research papers were introduced to China. At this time, it was discovered in China that overseas research on the efficacy of oral hyaluronic acid has made key progress in many fields such as gastrointestinal tract, skin beauty, eyes, and joints.
In 2021, a study jointly published in the internationally renowned medical research journal "Gut Microbes" by the Center for Mucosal Immunity and Biology Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and other scientific research institutions showed that oral administration of hyaluronic acid plays an important role in improving intestinal inflammation, promoting the growth of probiotics in the intestine, and regulating the intestinal barrier function.
In the same year, the team of Tsinghua University School of Pharmacy led by Dr. Wang Zhao published a review "Research Progress on the Physiological Function and Mechanism of Oral Administration of Hyaluronic Acid" in "Food Science”, analyzed the leading research in the field of oral hyaluronic acid over the years. This study has made systematic demonstrations of the effects of oral administration of hyaluronic acid on skin health, joint health, intestinal health, and eye health. It has been proved that oral administration of hyaluronic acid is expected to supplement hyaluronic acid in the body, thereby regulating related functions of the body, and maintaining and promoting the health of the entire body.
The protective function of hyaluronic acid on the skin, joints, eyes, and intestinal system
Progress in Research on Physiological Function and Mechanism of Oral Hyaluronic Acid. FOOD SCIENCE, 2021, 42(23): 1-10.
Although relevant studies have provided support for the efficacy of hyaluronic acid taken orally, the rate of absorption of hyaluronic acid is affected by many factors and therefore is understudied until the latest research, such as the one conducted at Jiangnan University, discovered the mechanism of the absorption and function of hyaluronic acid.
Reveal the absorption, metabolism, and function of oral hyaluronic acid
The paper “Absorption, metabolism, and functions of hyaluronic acid and its therapeutic prospects in combination with microorganisms” by the team of Professor Chen Wei of Jiangnan University published on Carbohydrate Polymers, explained the absorption process of oral hyaluronic acid in the human body.
Studies have shown that the absorption mechanism of macromolecular hyaluronic acid is different from that of small-molecule hyaluronic acid.
Hyaluronic acid is a polymer composed of identical repeating units. Individual molecules vary in size by thousands of folds based on the difference in molecular weights. High molar mass Hyaluronic Acid (HMM-HA), due to its large polymer structure, is difficult to pass through the intestinal barrier, and hard to be directly absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract after oral administration.
However, once the large molecule HMM-HA is decomposed into small molecule Low molar mass Hyaluronic Acid(LMM-HA), it can be absorbed in the large intestine and small intestine, and transported to various parts of the human body through the blood and lymph.
HA catabolism is accomplished by a series of enzymes, mainly by members of the hyaluronidase family (HYAL), and receptors in intestinal microbes. This study further demonstrates the potential role of probiotics in increasing the efficacy of hyaluronic acid supplements. Studies have found that a variety of bacteria can produce hyaluronidase which degrades hyaluronic acid and therefore provides nutrients for bacteria. This process promotes the absorption and transportation of hyaluronic acid in the body.
Oral HA absorption route. Intestinal microbes degrade HA and transport LMM-HA to the liver for metabolism, or to other tissues such as joints, skin, eyes, etc. Excess HA will be excreted.
Progress in Research on Physiological Function and Mechanism of Oral Hyaluronic Acid. FOOD SCIENCE, 2021, 42(23): 1-10.
At the same time, the absorption and metabolism of oral hyaluronic acid supplements is a very complicated process - the rapid degradation of exogenous hyaluronic acid in the body is a major pain point.
Regarding this problem, the paper proposes the hypothesis that, due to the low absorption and rapid turnover of hyaluronic acid in the human body, the benefit of ingesting hyaluronic acid in the human body is limited. However, supplementing HA with probiotics can help hyaluronic acid decompose smoothly and synthesize nutrients, improving HA bioavailability. Therefore, the combination of "hyaluronic acid + probiotics" may be the way to maximize the health benefits of taking hyaluronic acid. This study also cites a number of research reports indicating that hyaluronic acid, as a potential prebiotic, can promote the proliferation of probiotics, help the probiotics in the human body to fully play a regulatory role, and maintain human health.
Both hyaluronic acid and probiotics have independent anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and immuno-modulatory effects, so the combination of hyaluronic acid and probiotics can enhance the individual effects of each substance while inhibiting potential negative influence.
The complex relationship between microbiomes and hyaluronic acid
Progress in Research on Physiological Function and Mechanism of Oral Hyaluronic Acid. FOOD SCIENCE, 2021, 42(23): 1-10.
With the development of the oral hyaluronic acid industry and consumers' emphasis on food functionality, more and more research on oral hyaluronic acid will be performed in the future to improve the absorption and utilization efficiency of hyaluronic acid in food products.
Oral Hyaluronic Acid, the Solution for the Daily Needs of Functional Products
Efficacy is of course the core of hyaluronic acid food's “popularity”, however, the form of food ingredient makes hyaluronic acid, as a functional food, easily accessible and meets the needs of young populations’ busy life.
According to CBNData's "2022 Tmall Global Consumption Trend Prospect" report, the discussion of "snack-oriented" health care in Xiaohongshu and the sales scale of Tmall Global "snack-oriented" food supplements have both increased considerably.
Discussions of “Snack-oriented” health care on Xiaohongshu Notes and Tmall Global Consumption Scale
CBNData
Survey research shows that 37% of consumers will care about the functionality of food, a year-on-year increase of 23%.
The emergence of hyaluronic acid food makes the meaning of eating no longer limited to satisfying hunger, but also a choice of life attitude. The food industry is ushering in a new era of "ingredients first, functions target”.
An interesting fact is that most of the global hyaluronic acid raw materials for dietary supplements come from China. For example, the hyaluronic acid raw materials in Move Free, an American celebrity product, come from Bloomage Biotechnology.
Relying on continuous research on hyaluronic acid science and application, Bloomage Biotech has independently developed the food-grade sodium hyaluronate raw material —UltraHA. At the 4th Food Science and Technology Innovation Forum, Bloomage Biotech won the Product Innovation Award for its "production of sodium hyaluronate by fermentation method and declaration of UltraHA as a new food raw material".
With the continuous deepening of research on hyaluronic acid, the huge benefit of this small substance of hyaluronic acid in maintaining human health has been and will be further, demonstrated.
Focusing on the field of the healthcare industry, Bloomage Biotech continues to strive in providing medical solutions for skin care, joint health, gastrointestinal health, sleep health, and more and keeps delivering food-grade material to the industry as novel and potential solutions as well.