What does fact checked mean?
At Healthfully, we strive to deliver objective content that is accurate and up-to-date. Our team periodically reviews articles in order to ensure content quality. The sources cited below consist of evidence from peer-reviewed journals, prominent medical organizations, academic associations, and government data.
- Clinical Interventions in Aging: Hyaluronic Acid Gel Fillers in the Management of Facial Aging
- Clinical Interventions in Aging: Hyaluronic Acid Gel Fillers in the Management of Facial Aging
- Applied Environmental Microbiology: Comparison of Fecal Microflora of Elderly Persons in Rural and Urban Areas of Japan
- Applied Environmental Microbiology: Comparison of Fecal Microflora of Elderly Persons in Rural and Urban Areas of Japan
The information contained on this site is for informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a professional health care provider. Please check with the appropriate physician regarding health questions and concerns. Although we strive to deliver accurate and up-to-date information, no guarantee to that effect is made.
More people from the village of Yuzurihara, Japan live beyond age 85 than do people anywhere in the entire United States, according to a report on HealthWomen.com. These people live long productive lives and have youthful skin, optimal joint flexibility and minimal health issues such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Dr Toyosuke Komori, the town’s doctor and author of five books on Yuzurihara, suggests the reason for the youthful healthiness is due to a low-iron, sticky vegetable-based diet that promotes hyaluronic acid levels in the body 1.
History
Yuzurihara is a village about two hours outside of Tokyo, Japan. The World Health Organization in Japan surveyed the 990 inhabitants and found the villagers to have extraordinary longevity.
Hyaluronic Acid
How to Remove Skin Tags With a Wart Remover
Learn More
Hyaluronic acid is found naturally in all living organisms and is a gel-like component that exists between cells and connective tissue. In synovial fluid, it acts as a cushion for joints and nerves to prevent degeneration, according to the Pain Clinic website. Hyaluronic acid hydrates skin and hair and moisturizes the eyes 1.
Food Sources of Hyaluronic Acid
The source of hyaluronic acid in Yuzurihara is the local diet 13. They primarily consume sticky carbohydrates such as satoimo, which is a sticky white potato; a type of sweet potato and imoji, which is a potato root. If you are not in Japan, there are other foods you can eat that contain hyaluron or stimulate the production of hyaluronic acid in your body, according to SteadyHealth.com 12. These foods include:
- potatoes
- sweet potatoes
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- asparagus
- green beans
- peppers
- citrus fruits
- berries
- cherries
- bananas
- brown rice
- pumpkin
- beans
- parsley
- cilantro
Dietary Fiber
Castor Oil & Genital Warts
Learn More
Cornell University reported that fiber from 10 grams of soybeans per day may increase beneficial bacteria in the gut and reduce carcinogenic enzymes, correlating dietary fiber and aging. They suggested the prevalence of centenarians in Yuzurihara may be due to a high fiber diet. A study from the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research in Japan examined the feces of 84-year olds in the Yuzurihara area, compared with those of 68-year olds in Tokyo. They found that anaerobic bacteria, a bacteria that can cause diseases and infection, was significantly lower in the people of Yuzurihara than those in Tokyo. They concluded that the variation may be due to differences in intake of dietary fiber.
- Cornell University reported that fiber from 10 grams of soybeans per day may increase beneficial bacteria in the gut and reduce carcinogenic enzymes, correlating dietary fiber and aging.
- They found that anaerobic bacteria, a bacteria that can cause diseases and infection, was significantly lower in the people of Yuzurihara than those in Tokyo.
Hyaluronic Acid Preparations
Hyaluronic acid is available as a supplement but there is some controversy over its use. An article on BetterNutrition.com reports that hyaluronic supplements may be destroyed by stomach acid, making them ineffective 2. If buying hyaluronic supplements, choose reputable brands from your health food store. With recommended dosage, it may take several weeks for an effect to be noticed.
The Food and Drug Administration approved hyaluronic acid as a dermal filler to correct wrinkles and soft tissue damage resulting from advancing age 1. The 2008 “Clinical Interventions on Aging” recognized hyaluronic acid’s innate properties for the management of the aging face 13.
Topical hyaluronic acid applications are also available.
- Hyaluronic acid is available as a supplement but there is some controversy over its use.
- The Food and Drug Administration approved hyaluronic acid as a dermal filler to correct wrinkles and soft tissue damage resulting from advancing age 1.
Related Articles
References
- The Pain Clinic: Joint Pain Hyaluronic Acid: About Hyaluronic Acid
- SteadyHealth.com: Hyaluronic Acid Foods
- Clinical Interventions in Aging: Hyaluronic Acid Gel Fillers in the Management of Facial Aging
- Applied Environmental Microbiology: Comparison of Fecal Microflora of Elderly Persons in Rural and Urban Areas of Japan
- Morla S. Glycosaminoglycans and Glycosaminoglycan Mimetics in Cancer and Inflammation. Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(8):1963. doi:10.3390/ijms20081963
- Pomin VH, Mulloy B. Glycosaminoglycans and Proteoglycans. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2018;11(1):27. doi:10.3390/ph11010027
- Papakonstantinou E, Roth M, Karakiulakis G. Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin aging. Dermatoendocrinol. 2012;4(3):253-258. doi:10.4161/derm.21923
- Gupta RC, Lall R, Srivastava A, Sinha A. Hyaluronic Acid: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Trajectory. Front Vet Sci. 2019;6:192. doi:10.3389/fvets.2019.00192
- Kim JE, Sykes JM. Hyaluronic acid fillers: history and overview. Facial Plast Surg. 2011;27(6):523-8. doi:10.1055/s-0031-1298785
- Van Dyke S, Hays GP, Caglia AE, Caglia M. Severe Acute Local Reactions to a Hyaluronic Acid-derived Dermal Filler. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2010;3(5):32-35.
- Bukhari SNA, Roswandi NL, Waqas M, et. al. Hyaluronic Acid, a Promising Skin Rejuvenating Biomedicine: A Review of Recent Updates and Pre-Clinical and Clinical Investigations on Cosmetic and Nutricosmetic Effects. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 120(Pt B):1682-1695. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.09.188
- Narurkar VA, Fabi SG, Bucay VW, et. al. Rejuvenating Hydrator: Restoring Epidermal Hyaluronic Acid Homeostasis With Instant Benefits. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. (1 Suppl 2):s24-37.
- Raab S, Yatskayer M, Lynch S, Manco M, Oresajo C. Clinical Evaluation of a Multi-Modal Facial Serum That Addresses Hyaluronic Acid Levels in Skin. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. 16(9):884-890.
Writer Bio
Gord Kerr's professional background is primarily in business and management consulting. In 1991, Kerr started writing freelance for a small local newspaper, "The Summerland Review," and a leading sailing publication, "Cruising World Magazine." Kerr has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Wilfred Laurier University.