What is Hyaluronic Acid?
Hyaluronic acid (also called Hyaluronan, or HA) is a component of connective tissue whose function is to cushion and lubricate. Hyaluronan occurs throughout the body in abundant amounts in many of the places people with hereditary connective tissue disorders have problems such as joints, heart valves and eyes. Hyaluronic acid abnormalities are a common thread in connective tissue disorders. Interestingly, they are also common biochemical anomalies in most of the individual features of connective tissue disorders such as mitral valve prolapse, TMJ, osteoarthritis, and keratoconus.
The Importance of Hyaluronic Acid (Hyaluronan, HA)
Hyaluronic Acid is present in every tissue of the body. Retention of water is one of the most important biological functions of hyaluronic acid, second only to providing nutrients and removing waste from cells that do not have a direct blood supply, such as cartilage cells. With a lower than adequate amount of hyaluronic acid, nutrients cannot be moved into these cells and waste cannot be eliminated from cells. Hyaluronic acid is sometimes abbreviated as HA. Hyaluronic acid is found in the synovial joint...