Harvard University research confirms the gastrointestinal health benefits of hyaluronic acid, and hyaluronic acid foods are expected to open up new application scenarios?

"In the midst of numerous controversies, will the hyaluronic acid food sector be the next new blue ocean?"

Trends are changing, but consumers' desire for beauty has never stopped.

From the once-popular oral beauty product "collagen" to the beauty-focused bird's nest, and then to the emerging "internet celebrity" soapberry and peach gum, as well as the popularity of jokes like "soaking goji berries in a thermos" and "punk health preservation", more and more young people are trying oral beauty products.

Oral beauty products have become a new growth point in the "aesthetic economy", spawning one blockbuster category after another in the food industry. In 2021, hyaluronic acid food "emerged", joining the "battle" and gaining consumer pursuit and frequent attention from the industry due to its unique functional attributes.

Will hyaluronic acid food be the next blue ocean? 
 

1. The advancing hyaluronic acid: the next new blue ocean for functional foods?

As an intersection of health care and skincare consumption, functional foods have formed a vast market worldwide, addressing beauty and body needs such as whitening, anti-aging, hydration, hair loss prevention, weight loss, and breast enhancement, as well as health needs like body conditioning and aiding bowel movements.

As an important additive in functional foods, hyaluronic acid has a long history of approval abroad. In 1996, Japan officially listed hyaluronic acid as a food additive, with companies like POLA, FANCL, DHC, and Shiseido launching multiple bestselling hyaluronic acid products. After 2000, the nutritional food sector began to use hyaluronic acid on a large scale, with over 2,000 hyaluronic acid food products launched globally, including more than 160 varieties in Japan alone, and many products containing hyaluronic acid sold in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Czech Republic, Brazil, and other countries.For example,the American joint health supplement brand Move Free contains hyaluronic acid as its main ingredient.

Most of these globally popular hyaluronic acid foods source their raw materials from China. For a long time, Chinese companies have dominated the global market for hyaluronic acid raw materials. According to the latest report from 2020,the total sales of Chinese hyaluronic acid raw materials account for 81.6% of the global total, with Chinese companies ranking first in global sales.Among them, Huaxi Biological (688363.SH) is the world's largest producer and seller of hyaluronic acid, accounting for 43% of global sales in 2020, while Focus Biological, Fufeng Biological, and Anhua Biological account for 15%, 8%, and 7% of global sales, ranking second to fourth.

Before the National Health Commission approved the use of hyaluronic acid in food, these hyaluronic acid raw materials exported from China were produced into end hyaluronic acid foods abroad and were purchased back to China by consumers at dozens of times the price, being used by Chinese consumers for joint treatment, beauty, and other purposes.

On January 7, 2021, the National Health Commission officially approved the request from Huaxi Biological to use sodium hyaluronate (i.e., hyaluronic acid, commonly known as "hyaluronic acid") as a new food ingredient.It allowed the addition of hyaluronic acid in ordinary foods, including dairy and dairy products, beverages, alcoholic beverages, cocoa products, chocolate and chocolate products, as well as candies, frozen drinks, and more. Since then, a new era of domestic hyaluronic acid food has begun.

The policy of allowing hyaluronic acid in food undoubtedly has epoch-making significance in the hyaluronic acid industry. This not only means that the state recognizes the safety of hyaluronic acid as a food but also profoundly empowers the hyaluronic acid food industry. This policy resolves the "bottleneck" in the production and processing of end foods, allowing domestic hyaluronic acid manufacturers to consolidate all processing and sales into domestic production, thereby unblocking the entire hyaluronic acid industry chain for Chinese companies and opening a new track for functional foods.

Following the policy, within a year, a large number of hyaluronic acid foods emerged, ushering in a new form of flourishing hyaluronic acid food. On social platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu, hyaluronic acid foods have also attracted consumer attention and are gradually being recognized by the market.

But can domestic hyaluronic acid foods "ride the wind" and develop into a vast new blue ocean? This may require passing the dual tests of product efficacy and industrialization.

2. Following Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Harvard University has confirmed the gastrointestinal health benefits of oral hyaluronic acid.

The entry of hyaluronic acid into food has opened a new track, followed by consumer and academic skepticism about its efficacy. Questions like "Can hyaluronic acid really be consumed? Is it safe?" "Do oral products really work?" "What benefits can consuming hyaluronic acid bring to the human body?" have become focal points of concern for most consumers. These doubts largely stem from a fixed mindset regarding the application of hyaluronic acid in beauty and medical scenarios.

Is oral hyaluronic acid safe?

Regardless of whether one understands hyaluronic acid, the first reaction to this substance may be its addition to medical beauty agents and cosmetics. In fact, hyaluronic acid, scientifically known as "hyaluronic acid", is an acidic polysaccharide and a naturally occurring substance in the human body. Its total content in the body is about 15g, widely present in the eyeball, knee synovial fluid, and skin. It was first extracted from cow eyes in 1934, and hyaluronic acid has also been found in chicken combs and fish oil. Therefore, as a natural food, the safety of consuming hyaluronic acid has its basis.

In China, the application for new substance additives in the food sector is extremely strict. The approval of hyaluronic acid as an additive in ordinary foods by the state has undergone years of rigorous experimentation. As early as 2004, Huaxi Biological initiated the application for hyaluronic acid as a food additive in China, and based on fundamental research and applied research, conducted long-term experiments on the safety of hyaluronic acid. Liu Ming, assistant director of the National Food Fermentation Standardization Center and a senior engineer at the China Food Fermentation Industry Research Institute, stated: "Hyaluronic acid is a new raw material for biological fermentation. According to management regulations and very detailed review guidelines, we have conducted detailed studies on the strains and production processes used, the various toxicological aspects of the produced raw materials, as well as dietary exposure and risk assessment." It can be said that "the entry of hyaluronic acid into food" has already confirmed the safety of oral hyaluronic acid.

Can oral hyaluronic acid be absorbed and utilized by the human body?

Relevant survey studies show that hyaluronic acid is absorbed in the intestine in the form of smaller molecular weight monosaccharides or non-monosaccharides, and then re-synthesized into macromolecular hyaluronic acid under the action of enzymes in the body. In the summer of 2021, the international authoritative journal Nature's Nature Portfolio published an article titled "From Mechanistic Research to Experimental Analysis: Does Oral Hyaluronic Acid Enhance Skin Hydration?" In the experiment,90% of orally ingested hyaluronic acid can be absorbed and utilized by the body, with some remaining in the skin tissue, confirming the absorption mechanism and safety of oral hyaluronic acid.This means that oral hyaluronic acid actually acts as a health behavior for the entire body. If other parts of our body need hyaluronic acid more than the skin, the body will prioritize synthesizing hyaluronic acid for those areas, but the skin will also benefit.

What benefits can consuming hyaluronic acid bring to the human body?

In response to this question, scientific research is continuously deepening.

In the field of beauty,research is exploring the effects of hyaluronic acid on the condition of human skin. Currently, multiple research reports have been published in academia, which have proven to some extent the efficacy of hyaluronic acid products through a series of scientific research methods such as double-blind experiments.

(1) A study published in the 2014 medical journal Nutrition Journal titled 'Ingested hyaluronan moisturizes dry skin' confirmed that consuming hyaluronic acid can improve dry skin and reduce wrinkles.

(2) A randomized controlled clinical study published in 2019 by Italian scholar Guaitolini et al. in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology showed significant improvements in skin moisture content, elasticity, and wrinkles in the experimental group after 60 days of continuous hyaluronic acid intake.

(3) Experiments on food-grade hyaluronic acid raw material HA produced by the leading hyaluronic acid company Huaxi Biological (688363.SH) showed that hyaluronic acid can increase skin moisture and has antioxidant effects. After oral intake of hyaluronic acid, the skin moisture content increased by 9%, showing a significant improvement compared to those who did not take it.

In terms of promoting human health,research has found that hyaluronic acid can promote gastrointestinal health, treat dry eye syndrome, and alleviate osteoarthritis. Hyaluronic acid also plays a key role in joint lubrication, regulating vascular wall permeability, and wound healing.

(1) In 2017, researchers from Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology and Kewpie Corporation published findings in the Journal of Medicinal Food, exploring the degradation and absorption of oral hyaluronic acid in the gastrointestinal tract.

(2) A study published in 2020 by Hokkaido University in the European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics investigated the transfer of oral hyaluronic acid to the lymphatic system and blood, showing that high molecular weight hyaluronic acid can be degraded by gut microbiota into smaller oligomeric hyaluronic acid with a molecular weight below 10,000. This smaller molecular weight hyaluronic acid can further transfer to the blood and lymph, benefiting organs that require hyaluronic acid.

(3) A clinical study conducted by South Korean scientists in 2019 on oral hyaluronic acid for alleviating dry eye syndrome showed that using oral hyaluronic acid together with eye drops significantly improved symptoms.

(4) In the treatment of osteoarthritis, oral intake of hyaluronic acid has also been found in related studies to bind with Toll-like receptor 4 and promote the expression of interleukin-10 and cytokine signaling, both of which are important for alleviating and treating osteoarthritis.

Meanwhile, a recent joint scientific study conducted by the Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Beijing University of Chinese Medicine in China published significant research findings on hyaluronic acid titled 'Hyaluronic acid-induced changes in gut microbiota benefit mice in resisting Citrobacter rodentium infection and improving intestinal inflammation', providing theoretical support for the application of hyaluronic acid in food. This finding was published in the medical journal Gut Microbes (edited by Beth McCormick, impact factor (2020): 10.245). The research shows thatoral hyaluronic acid plays an important role in improving intestinal inflammation, promoting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, and regulating gut barrier function..

Data shows that hyaluronic acid can selectively alter the composition and metabolic products of the gut microbiota in mice.

In this study, scientists found that hyaluronic acid changed the gut microbiota composition in BALB/c mice, helping them resist Citrobacter rodentium infection, alleviating gut dysbiosis induced by Citrobacter rodentium, and regulating the immune response and gut epithelial barrier function during Citrobacter rodentium infection, thereby alleviating intestinal inflammation. Related studies have also indicated that hyaluronic acid is beneficial for various diseases, including inflammatory bowel diseases.

Through in-depth exploration of this phenomenon, scientists believe that the intake of hyaluronic acid can selectively promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, especially Akkermansia, which can increase the number of goblet cells and mucin in the intestines of mice infected with Citrobacter rodentium, enhancing gut resistance and alleviating intestinal inflammation by regulating the gut mucosal barrier. The discovery of this experimental result profoundly reveals the important role of hyaluronic acid in promoting gastrointestinal health. Harvard University's latest findings have opened up new application directions for hyaluronic acid products beyond skincare, bone health, and ophthalmic disease treatment.

3. The industry is promising, and strengthening consumer awareness is key.

In addition to verifying efficacy, the industrial development environment for hyaluronic acid foods also determines the continued development of hyaluronic acid foods.

In developed countries like the United States and Japan, where the hyaluronic acid industry is relatively mature, the exploration of hyaluronic acid foods has become increasingly refined, forming a diverse product series including skin health, gut health, fat burning, and exercise function supplements, as well as a variety of products such as beverages, dairy products, convenience foods, biscuits, frozen drinks, potato and puffed foods, candy products, tea and related products, alcoholic beverages, cocoa and baked coffee products, and pastries. Consumer product awareness is also maturing, with hyaluronic acid yogurt and oolong tea becoming best-selling categories.

In contrast, China only began exploring food applications in 2021, with Huaxi Biological launching China's first hyaluronic acid food brand 'Heiling', developing six hyaluronic acid products including sodium hyaluronate oral solution, oral sachets, gummies, tablet candies, and jellies. The new food consumption 'internet celebrity' Hankou Second Factory and meal replacement brand Wonderlab quickly followed, launching products like hyaluronic acid sparkling water and hyaluronic acid gummies. However, compared to the mature expansion of hyaluronic acid food categories in Europe and the United States, the product types in China are still in the 'curiosity' stage.

Why are hyaluronic acid foods not very popular in China? Putting hyaluronic acid foods back into the development of the entire functional food track may provide some insights.

On one hand, per capita consumption expenditure and penetration rate of functional foods in China are far lower than those in developed markets, and consumer awareness is also lacking. Americans spend an average of $90 annually on oral functional foods and health products, Australians spend $222, while Chinese consumers only spend $30. The penetration rate of the health product market in the U.S. is 55%, while in China it is less than 20%. In terms of hyaluronic acid products, the development of hyaluronic acid foods has been ahead of its application in the beauty industry in the European and American markets since 2000, with a long-term focus on health.

On the other hand, there is still a phenomenon of 'worshiping foreign brands' in the current functional food market, where domestic consumers have more trust in imported brand products and overall recognition of domestic brands is low. The Chinese functional food market has long been dominated by foreign brands such as SWISSE, POLA, FANCL, and Ausnutria. This is evident from the 'Top 20 Health Product Sales on Double Eleven 2020' list, which shows that the domestic functional food market is still ruled by overseas brands. Overseas hyaluronic acid functional foods are increasingly recognized by consumers, with a continuous upward trend in product consumption, represented by SWISSE Water Light Tablets (the main ingredient is hyaluronic acid), which leads in sales on Tmall International.

The obstacles to the development of hyaluronic acid foods and the entire functional food track can be attributed to consumer product education and brand trust. To break through the bottleneck of consumer education and usher in comprehensive development of the functional food track, it requires multi-dimensional efforts from the government, research institutions, leading brands, and other stakeholders.

First, 'product strength' and 'strong efficacy' have always been the core competitiveness.In the functional food track, scientific foundation support is core. Currently, research from Harvard Medical School on the improvement of gut health by hyaluronic acid of different molecular weights, and joint research from Jiangnan University on the mechanisms of oral hyaluronic acid on human bone joints and eyes, are effectively promoting the efficacy and product strength of hyaluronic acid foods.

Second, the construction of the functional food industry, with industry standards as the cornerstone.The government, industry organizations, research institutions, and leading enterprises should jointly promote the establishment of standardized, transparent, and trustworthy industry standards to ensure the safe and effective application of bioactive substances in functional foods. It is reported that the National Food Fermentation Standardization Center is currently working with Huaxi Biological to promote the revision and update of relevant standards for hyaluronic acid in food, covering aspects such as raw material requirements, inspection methods, functional labeling, and evaluation, to avoid potential issues of inferior products and false labeling after large-scale market entry.

Third, the construction of the functional food industry.Leading brands, as producers and sellers of products, are the main players. Enterprises should focus on consumer pain points and continuously launch new products that meet consumer expectations with keen business acumen.

As the post-90s and post-95s generations gradually become the main consumers, it can be observed that consumer awareness of functional foods is gradually changing. Data from Tmall shows that in 2020, the sales growth rate of snack markets related to functional foods reached 40%, with the majority of buyers being from the post-90s generation, and Generation Z being the core users. According to the '2020 Functional Snack Innovation Trends' forecast,the functional food market is expected to reach 500 billion yuan in the next few years, with eye care, skin care, sleep, vitality, immunity, and healthy eating being the six main directions in the functional food track..

Today, the further discovery of the protective effects of hyaluronic acid on the gastrointestinal tract and eye care will undoubtedly further expand the sales territory of hyaluronic acid in the functional food track. Through cognitive education for young people, a new track for hyaluronic acid products will also be opened. It is believed that as the efficacy of hyaluronic acid foods in areas such as gastrointestinal health is further developed, hyaluronic acid foods will gain further public recognition and usher in new developments in the food track.

References:

[1] JinggangLan, Lefei Jiao & Hai Ning Shi (2021) Hyaluronan-induced alterations of the gut microbiome protects mice against Citrobacter rodentium infection and intestinal inflammation, Gut Microbes, 13:1, 1972757

[2] Feng Ning, Shi Yanli, Guo Fengxian, Guo Xueping. Study on the improvement of skin moisture and antioxidant effect of oral hyaluronic acid [J]. Food and Drug, 2016, 18(6):386-390

[3] Guo Xueping, He Yanli, et al. Application of hyaluronic acid in health products [J]. Chinese Journal of Biochemical Drugs, 2002, 23(1):49-51.

[4] Bellamy, N., Campbell, J., Welch, V., Gee, T.L., Bourne, R., & Wells, G. A. (2006). Viscosupplementation for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. Cochrane database of systematic reviews, (2):CD005321.

[5] Guaitolini E, Cavezzi A, Cocchi S, et al. Randomized, Placebo-controlled Study of a Nutraceutical Based on Hyaluronic Acid, L-carnosine, and Methylsulfonylmethane in Facial Skin Aesthetics and Well-being [J]. The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2019, 12(4). Sheldon, R, Pinnell, et al. Topical L-Ascorbic Acid: Percutaneous Absorption Studies [J]. Dermatologic Surgery, 2001.

[6] Macchione IG, Lopetuso LR, Ianiro G, Napoli M, Gibiino G, Rizzatti G, Petito V, Gasbarrini A, Scaldaferri F. Akkermansia muciniphila: key player in metabolic and gastrointestinal disorders. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2019;23(18):8075–8083. doi:10.26355/ eurrev_201909_19024.

Source: Foodaily Daily Food (Public Account ID: foodaily), authorized for reprint.