Joint Health Supplement for Runners
Joint Health Supplement Hyaluronic Acid, or HA, is a complex carbohydrate that is produced in the cartilage, the epidermis, and elsewhere in the body as part of the natural repair and recovery process.
The HA molecule has a strong ability to attract water, providing needed hydration to the cells of the cartilage, skin and eye. It helps keep synovial fluid (your joints' built-in shock absorber) thick and slippery. And as a principal component of the Extra-Cellular Matrix (the substance that fills the spaces between cells in your body), it supplies cells with nutrients, enzymes and other important chemicals that support healthy intercellular communication and interaction.
HA is not unique to humans. All mammals have it, and it is the same in all species and tissues. In the human body, the highest concentrations of HA are found in the skin, in the vitreous humor of the eye, and in connective tissue throughout the body.
HA helps keep the cartilage resilient and slippery. Within the joint capsule, it helps enhance the synovial fluid's shock-absorbing power. Along with lubricin, it is one of the joint fluid's main lubricating components.
A healthy knee contains about 2 milliliters of synovial fluid and a hyaluronic acid concentration of 2.5 to 4.0 milligrams per milliliter. HA production appears to decrease with age. It is a major component of skin, where it draws in and holds water, helps keep skin firm and resilient, and supports tissue repair. It supports the regeneration of connective tissue throughout the body. And it is a primary component of the vitreous humor which fills your eye, giving it shape and protecting it against impact.
A form of HA has been used since the 1970s and 1980s in eye surgery. Another, injectable form of HA is used to increase the viscosity of the joint fluid, lubricating and cushioning arthritic knees. Like Alleviate, these special forms of HA are derived from rooster combs, which are one of nature's richest sources of hyaluronic acid.