Oral Hyaluronic Acid for Skin: The Research Behind Hyabest®

Ingredient spotlight · Oral hyaluronic acid in Health Royals’ beauty complete · 5 min read

What happens when a familiar skincare molecule is studied from within, and why the specific form and daily amount matter.

Hyaluronic acid may be one of beauty’s most recognisable ingredients.

We know it from serums, creams and aesthetic treatments. Its name has become almost synonymous with hydration.

But hyaluronic acid did not begin as a beauty trend.

It is a molecule naturally present throughout the body, including the skin, eyes and joints.

Within the skin, it forms part of the water-rich environment surrounding cells and structural fibres.

This raises a less familiar question.

Can a molecule we know from topical skincare also influence measurable skin outcomes when taken from within?

What does hyaluronic acid do in the skin?

Hyaluronic acid, also known as hyaluronan or HA, belongs to a family of molecules called glycosaminoglycans.

The name is technical. The central idea is simpler.

Hyaluronic acid interacts strongly with water and forms part of the extracellular environment around the skin’s cells, collagen fibres and elastin.

It does not simply hold moisture on the surface.

It forms part of a living tissue environment in which hydration, structure and cell activity are closely connected.

The amount and distribution of hyaluronic acid in the skin change with age, alongside wider changes in the dermis and skin barrier.

These shifts form part of the biology behind dryness, reduced suppleness and visible changes in texture.

Skin hydration is not simply water resting on the surface. It is part of the tissue environment underneath it.

Can hyaluronic acid work from within?

Hyaluronic acid is a comparatively large molecule, so one obvious question is what happens after it is swallowed.

Research suggests that oral hyaluronic acid can be broken down into smaller fragments during digestion.

These smaller components may then be absorbed and distributed through the body.

Experimental studies have explored how they may interact with tissues, including the skin.

The exact pathway continues to be studied.

But mechanistic research is only one part of the picture.

The more relevant question for readers is whether controlled human studies have measured changes in hydration, water loss or visible skin characteristics after oral intake.

The proposed mechanism helps explain how oral hyaluronic acid may act. Human trials show what was actually measured in people.

What did 12 weeks of research find?

A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study investigated oral Hyabest® in 40 healthy adults aged 35 to 64.

Participants received either 120 mg sodium hyaluronate daily or placebo for 12 weeks.

The researchers assessed several aspects of skin condition rather than hydration alone.

These included facial hydration, transepidermal water loss and wrinkle-related measurements.

By week 12, the Hyabest® group showed significant differences compared with placebo in facial hydration, facial water loss and wrinkle volume.

Based on the published group averages, the changes from baseline in the Hyabest® group were approximately:

11% higher facial hydration

16% lower facial water loss

25% lower wrinkle volume

These percentages are approximate calculations from the study’s published mean values. The corresponding week-12 measurements also showed statistically significant differences compared with placebo.

The study therefore looked at more than moisture alone. It explored how hydration, water retention and visible wrinkle-related measures changed together over time.

What does the newer hydration study add?

A newer randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in 2024 investigated Hyabest® in 100 healthy Japanese adults who were aware of having dry skin.

Participants received either 119 mg sodium hyaluronate daily or placebo for eight weeks.

At the end of the study, the increase in water content in the superficial layer of the skin was significantly greater in the sodium hyaluronate group than in the placebo group.

The difference was particularly clear in the facial measurements.

This newer study supports the hydration story seen in the earlier research, using a daily amount very close to 120 mg.

Different studies, similar daily amounts and a consistent focus on measurable skin hydration.

What makes Hyabest® a defined ingredient?

“Hyaluronic acid” is a broad ingredient description.

It does not tell us how the material was produced, its purity, molecular weight, daily amount or whether that specific form has been studied.

Hyabest® is a high-purity sodium hyaluronate developed in Japan by Kewpie Corporation for oral beauty applications.

It is produced through bio-fermentation rather than extracted from animal tissue.

The form used in Beauty Complete is Hyabest® (S) LF-P, with a controlled molecular-weight range and a programme of human clinical research behind it.

Molecular weight is relevant because hyaluronic acid can exist in different molecular sizes, each with its own physical and biological characteristics.

A separate human study comparing different molecular weights reported improvements in wrinkle-related measures with the 300 kDa Hyabest® form.

This does not mean that one molecular weight is always superior in every context.

It means that a defined ingredient gives us more useful information than the generic name alone.

Beauty Complete provides 120 mg Hyabest® per daily serving, corresponding closely to the amount used across the published studies.

Hyaluronic acid identifies the molecule. Hyabest® identifies the specific form and dose behind the research.

How Hyabest® fits into the complete formula

Beauty Complete was designed around complementary aspects of skin quality rather than hydration alone.

Hyabest® forms the hydration centre of the formula at the studied daily amount of 120 mg.

It is combined with Cartidyss® marine cartilage complex and Ceramosides™ phytoceramides.

Cartidyss® was selected for the formula’s structural story, while Ceramosides™ provides a wheat-derived polar lipid complex developed around the skin barrier.

Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of the skin.

Riboflavin and biotin contribute to the maintenance of normal skin, while vitamin C and riboflavin contribute to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

Each ingredient has a distinct role.

Structure, hydration and barrier support are brought together in one considered daily beauty formula.

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References

Hsu, T.F.; Su, Z.R.; Hsieh, Y.H.; Wang, M.F.; Oe, M.; Matsuoka, R.; et al. Oral hyaluronan relieves wrinkles and improves dry skin: a 12-week double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Nutrients. 2021;13(7):2220. DOI: 10.3390/nu13072220.

Oe, M.; Wang, W.; Kuriyama, K.; Takeda, Y.; Kimura, M.; Matsuoka, R.; Miura, N.; Muto, J. Oral sodium hyaluronate moisturises skin in healthy adults: an 8-week, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Food and Nutrition Sciences. 2024;15:1095–1105. DOI: 10.4236/fns.2024.1511071.

Oe, M.; Sakai, S.; Yoshida, H.; Okado, N.; Kaneda, H.; Masuda, Y.; Urushibata, O. Oral hyaluronan relieves wrinkles: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study over a 12-week period. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology. 2017;10:267–273. DOI: 10.2147/CCID.S141845.

Kewpie Corporation. Hyabest® ingredient, molecular-weight and clinical research information.

Disclaimer: This article is intended for general information and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. It summarises ingredient characteristics, published research and manufacturer-provided information. Individual needs and experiences may vary. Consult a qualified healthcare professional with questions about supplementation, allergies, medication or personal health.