Almost all supplements say “hyaluronic acid.” Very few say which one. And that is the question that matters, because science does not study hyaluronic acid in the abstract: it studies specific ingredients, from specific manufacturers, at specific doses.
If a label does not tell you what kind of hyaluronic acid it contains or how much, no study applies to it. Eterhydra contains 200 mg of UltraHA®, Bloomage Biotechnology’s sodium hyaluronate. This is what has been researched with Bloomage’s hyaluronic acid.
Who is behind the ingredient
Bloomage is the world’s largest producer of hyaluronic acid: according to the company itself, it manufactures around 44% of what is sold globally and has been marketing it for 24 years. It has seven factories and more than 900 people working in research. Its oral hyaluronic acid is listed as a new food ingredient in China and is self-declared GRAS in the United States.
A manufacturer of this size can do something that an unnamed hyaluronic acid cannot: fund clinical trials with its own ingredient.
The studies, one by one
Tongji University, Shanghai, 2023 · 200 mg, the Eterhydra dose
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in Skin Research and Technology. 129 women aged 18 to 65 with dry, oily, or normal skin took 100 or 200 mg of Bloomage hyaluronic acid daily for 12 weeks.
- With 200 mg, skin hydration increased significantly in all three skin types and both age groups.
- In dry skin, the improvement was measured from week 4.
- Dermal density remained stable in those who took hyaluronic acid, while it decreased by 9.5% in the placebo group.
Shandong University, 2016 · +9% hydration compared to placebo
A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in Food and Drug. 104 people aged 30 to 50 with dry skin took 120 mg of Bloomage hyaluronic acid daily or a placebo for 45 days.
- Skin moisture increased from 8.79 to 9.58 in the hyaluronic acid group: 9% more. In the placebo group, it barely moved, from 8.79 to 8.88. The difference was significant compared to the placebo.
- In a second 180-day trial with 102 people aged 45 to 65, the antioxidant enzyme SOD increased by 9%, also significantly compared to the placebo.
- Blood tests, electrocardiograms, and ultrasounds were normal at 45 and 180 days.
A&G Laboratories, Badajoz, 2016 · +29% firmness in 6 months
A prospective study in Spain, led by dermatologist Baldomero García Mir and approved by the ethics committee of the Infanta Cristina University Hospital. 29 women aged 55 to 79 took 150 mg daily for six months, without a placebo group. Firmness was measured with a cutometer around the eye.
- Firmness: +29% (p < 0.0001). 76% of the women improved.
- Net elasticity: +15%. Total elasticity: +7%.
- No adverse effects in six months.
Japan · +13% hydration in 8 weeks, maintained after stopping
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in Anti-Aging Medicine. 36 women aged 30 to 60 with dry skin took 100 or 150 mg daily for eight weeks.
- With 100 mg, cheek hydration increased from 49.7 to 56.2: 13% more. In the placebo group, it went from 50.7 to 51.1.
- Four weeks after stopping, hydration remained at 58.9.
- With 150 mg, water loss through the skin decreased from 20.1 to 16.6 g/h/m².
How does something taken by mouth reach the skin?
It is the most logical question. In 2008, a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry tracked labeled hyaluronic acid in animals: it appeared in the blood after 15 minutes, in the joints after 2 hours, and in the skin after 4 hours.
The intestine absorbs it through two pathways. The higher molecular weight barely breaks down in the stomach and reaches the intestine almost intact. The lower molecular weight fragments and passes into the blood from the large intestine. That is why molecular weight also matters, which we explain in what “multimolecular weight” means.
Why 200 mg
The Bloomage hyaluronic acid trials were conducted with doses of 100 to 200 mg daily. Eterhydra contains 200 mg per serving: the highest dose tested in the Tongji University study. On the market, products with 12, 20, or 25 mg per serving coexist.
What a generic label does not tell you
| Generic hyaluronic acid | Eterhydra | |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredient | “Hyaluronic acid,” no brand name | UltraHA®, a Bloomage trademark |
| Clinical studies of the ingredient | Cannot be known | Trials in China, Spain, and Japan |
| Amount per serving | Often part of a “complex” or not declared | 200 mg declared |
| Origin | Not always indicated | Fermentation, vegan |
| Format | Capsule, vial, or powder with water | Stick directly into the mouth, no water |
| Vitamin C | Variable | 80 mg of acerola, 100% NRV |
Vitamin C contributes to the normal formation of collagen for the normal functioning of the skin.
How to take it to match the studies
The trials lasted from 6 weeks to 6 months, always with one daily, consistent dose. Eterhydra is taken the same way: one sachet daily, directly on the tongue, clementine flavor.
- 30 sachets: to start.
- 90 sachets: the 12 weeks of the Tongji University study.
- 180 sachets: the 6 months of the Spanish study.
Sources
- Gao Y. et al. Skin Research and Technology 2023; 29(11): e13531. doi.org/10.1111/srt.13531
- Feng N. et al. Improving Effect of Oral Hyaluronan on Skin Moisture and Its Antioxidation Function in vivo. Food and Drug 2016; 18(6): 386–390.
- A&G Laboratories. Prospective clinical study, Badajoz, 2016. Manufacturer's report.
- Hibino et al. Anti-Aging Medicine 21(2): 33–38.
- Balogh L. et al. J Agric Food Chem 2008; 56(22): 10582–10593.
Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Contains xylitol: excessive consumption may have laxative effects.
Ellevera Team
Beauty that starts within.