A special sugar made by one type of gut bacteria can be eaten by other gut bacteria that can’t break down hyaluronic acid themselves — like sharing a snack they can’t make on their own.

A special sugar made by one type of gut bacteria can be eaten by other gut bacteria that can’t break down hyaluronic acid on their own — like sharing a snack they can’t make themselves.

A specific gut bacteria called Bacteroides salyersiae breaks down a substance in your body called hyaluronic acid and makes a small sugar molecule called udp4 as a result.

Some good bacteria in your gut can break down a substance called hyaluronic acid, and different strains do it in different ways—some even share the broken-down pieces with other bacteria, like one bacteria passing along a chemical called UDP4.

Big, chunky molecules of hyaluronic acid are easier for certain good bacteria in your gut to break down and eat than smaller ones.

A specific type of gut bacteria called Bacteroides salyersiae is better at breaking down a substance called hyaluronic acid—no matter if it’s big or small molecules—than other similar bacteria we’ve looked at.