Hyaluronic Acid (Mobilee)

What is hyaluronic acid?

Hyaluronic acid, also called hyaluronan, is a large sugar molecule that the body makes naturally. It is especially abundant in the fluid that fills and lubricates joints, where it helps give synovial fluid its thick, slippery quality, and it is also found in skin and the eyes. Supplement forms come either from fermentation or from animal sources such as rooster combs. Mobilee, a branded ingredient, is a rooster comb extract containing hyaluronic acid along with other polysaccharides and collagen.

What the research says

Injected hyaluronic acid is a long-standing treatment for knee osteoarthritis. Oral hyaluronic acid is a different question, because the large molecule is broken down during digestion. Researchers have proposed that fragments may act through receptors in the gut, but the mechanism is still being studied.

A 2016 review of randomized, placebo-controlled trials published between 2008 and 2015 concluded that oral hyaluronan may relieve knee pain and synovial effusion and improve knee muscle strength, and described its safety profile (Oe et al., Nutr J). In one trial using Mobilee, people with joint discomfort who ate yogurt with the ingredient for 90 days reported less pain intensity and showed reduced synovial effusion and improved muscle strength indicators compared with placebo (Genes Nutr, 2014).

Not every study is positive. In a small pilot trial of 20 people with knee osteoarthritis, 80 mg a day of a chicken comb extract high in hyaluronic acid did not differ significantly from placebo on the main pain measure after eight weeks, though both groups improved (Nutr J, 2008). Many trials are small, short or funded by ingredient makers, so the overall evidence is best described as limited but promising.

How it’s used in supplements

Oral hyaluronic acid is sold in capsules and in joint and skin formulas, typically at 80 to 200 mg a day. Mobilee products usually use 80 mg. Trials ran from about 8 weeks to 6 months, so effects, if any, should not be expected immediately.

Oral hyaluronic acid has been well tolerated in studies, with mostly mild digestive complaints reported. Products made from rooster combs are not suitable for vegans and may not suit people with poultry or egg allergies. Safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been established. If you have a hot, red or swollen joint, or joint pain after an injury, see a doctor rather than relying on a supplement, and talk to your doctor before starting if you take prescription medicine.