Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronan · Sodium Hyaluronate · Hyaluronate

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Skin hydration^1–4 Skin elasticity^{2, 3} Wrinkle depth³ Knee osteoarthritis pain^5–9 Intrauterine adhesion prevention^10–12 Genitourinary syndrome of menopause¹³ Dry eye, as topical eye drops^{14, 15}	Pregnancy or nursing¹⁶ Under 18 years of age¹⁶

Hyaluronic acid (hyaluronan) is a water-binding glycosaminoglycan of skin, joint fluid, and eye tissue, and supplementation aims to support tissue hydration and viscoelasticity.^{2, 3} Oral sodium hyaluronate is taken mainly for skin hydration, elasticity, and wrinkles, typically by adults with age-related dry skin^{2, 3}. The same molecule is also injected or applied as a gel for knee osteoarthritis, intrauterine adhesions, vaginal dryness, dry eye, and periodontal care.

Intra-articular injection eased knee osteoarthritis pain over placebo in network meta-analyses, though platelet-rich plasma ranked higher^{5, 17}. Intrauterine gel after surgery reduced adhesion rates in meta-analyses of randomized trials^{10, 11}. In pregnant women, a 2023 retrospective observational pilot found fewer preterm births with an oral combination containing high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid; no randomized trial has tested it¹⁸. Products come in capsules, powders, tablets, and liquids; see Form comparison.

Per Health Canada labeling, licensed oral products carry advice to consult a health care practitioner before use in pregnancy or breastfeeding¹⁹. United States labels likewise ask pregnant or nursing users to consult a physician¹⁶. These are label precautions, not trial findings.¹⁶

Last updated October 15, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

71 sources, 64 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources