In a report by ABC News with Connie Chung she visited a Japanese village named Yuzuri Hara where ten percent of the people are eighty-five years old or older, which is about 10 times the normal life span of the United States. She reported how the people enjoy excellent health even though some of the villagers have been involved in very unhealthy activities such as smoking. Another example is a 93 year old resident who has worked in the fields farming in the sun for 50 years exposing his skin to the hot sun without the protection of a cream or sun block. And yet the 93 year old farmer has soft and smooth skin.

Hyaluronic Acid - Loss with Age
One of the major factors that contributes to this phenomenon is hyaluronic acid. Since the people who live here can't raise rice in this particularly hilly region, the villagers have been raising a type of sweet potato; satoimo, a sticky white potato; konyaku, a gelatinous root vegetable concoction; and imoji, a potato root which stimulates the production of hyaluronic acid. In other words, while the level of hyaluronic acid declines with age, due to nutritional factors and environment, the Japanese villagers of Yuzuri Hara were able to maintain their levels because of the starchy vegetables ability to assist their bodies in producing it.

Importance of Hyaluronic Acid
Researchers have discovered that hyaluronic acid, also known as hyaluronan, is critical to the healthy function of the body in maintaining not only smooth, healthy skin, but is involved every facet of the body such as healthy lubrication of the joints, wound healing, eye health and function, 80% of the eye is made of hyaluronic acid and protects the eye against infection.

Antioxidant and Cellular Glue
It also has natural antioxidant properties which assists in controlling joint pain by reducing inflammation while at the same time providing vital nutrients needed for healthy proteoglycan production to build and maintain healthy bone, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and muscles.

Powerful Water Magnet - Keeps Cells Hydrated
It has been discoverd that hyaluronic acid is able to retain more water than any other substance found to date which keeps the skin and other tissues hydrated. This in turn keeps cells from drying out and maintains their ability to be able to absorb nutrients more effectively and eliminate toxins.

Hyaluronic Acid Research
Since many people are not going to be willing to move Yuzuri Hara and spend the rest of their lives eating foods they would not like, reserachers have found other means to increase the hyaluronic acid levels. In Japan they have been experimenting with hyaluronic acid by giving it to people in a pill form made from the combs of roosters. In one test with a 1,000 people about 50% of the participants said that their skin had become smoother and their eyesight improved.

Biocell™ Chicken Collagen II with Hyaluronic Acid
Another source of hyaluronic acid was discovered about 14 years. It is derived from chicken sternum cartilage. It has a 70 to 90% absorption rate. Each 500 mg capsule of Biocell Chicken™ Collagen Type II contains 50 to 60 mg of naturally occuring hyaluronic acid.