Hyaluronic acid (oral)

Tier 2 — promising · Joint lubrication · Skin hydration

A handful of small RCTs (e.g. Oe 2016, Kajimoto 2001) report modest knee pain reduction and improved skin hydration with oral hyaluronic acid, but systematic reviews consistently note low-certainty evidence and short trial durations. How well the oral form reaches joint and skin tissue is not well established. Generally considered very safe with no serious side effects reported. The low-molecular-weight form may absorb better than standard.

Dose: 80–200 mg/day low-molecular-weight form (better absorbed)