Johns Hopkins Health Alert
The Estrogen-Osteoarthritis Connection
Why do so many middle-aged women develop osteoarthritis? Scientists believe that declining estrogen levels may play a role.
Osteoarthritis is often called a wear-and-tear disease because it develops in joints after many years of use. Aging increases the risk of developing osteoarthritis, but it's not the sole cause. Scientists aren't sure exactly what causes the condition, but several factors play a role in its development. These include genetic predisposition, obesity, prior joint injuries, wear and tear on the joints due to repeated overuse or sports-related activities, muscle weakness, and nerve injury.
Now a study reported in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism (Volume 54, page 2481) suggests that low estrogen levels are linked to osteoarthritis of the knee in middle-aged women.
Following up on findings from animal studies, researchers from the University of Michigan measured the estrogen levels of more than 800 premenopausal and perimenopausal women. Based on these results, they ranked the study participants into three groups according to their estrogen levels. The women had yearly x-rays of both knees and answered questions about knee pain, their general health, and various lifestyle factors.
After taking into account osteoarthritis risk factors such as body mass index, the researchers found that women with the lowest estrogen levels were nearly twice as likely to develop osteoarthritis over the next three years as were those with higher levels.
These findings may help explain why signs of osteoarthritis tend to appear when women are in their 40s, a time of fluctuating or declining estrogen levels. The relationship between estrogen and osteoarthritis isn’t clear. However, the hormone is believed to interfere with arachidonic acid, a substance in the body that is associated with pain and inflammation. The researchers suggest that a better understanding of estrogen’s apparent protective effect on the knee may lead to new approaches to osteoarthritis management.
Posted in Arthritis on May 12, 2008
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I strongly disagree with this theory. I have used premarin for 30 years following menopause. I have not experienced any relief by using this for osteoarthritis. I have spondylolithesis in my lower spine and severe bone on bone osteoarthritis in both knees. I would like to find a cure other than Surgery or continued ablations lower back and cortisone shots in both knees. This is my experience and I now cannot walk very far or exercise due to pain.
Posted by: daphnehyde | February 2, 2009 7:19 PM
A Reumatologist told me estrogen seems to play a role in arthritis, based on his knowledge of studies and his female patients.
Without estradiol, I would have pain in 3 fingers that were hurt/crushed as a child. This pain was noticed after quitting a birthcontrol pill 20 yrs ago. Felt also like I couldn't empty my bladder - went back on the pill and these problems went away. 16 yrs later, after having my ovaries out and my estrogen pills changed to 1/10th the amount of that prior to the surgery, my health has declined in many ways. I won't mention all, but I have some minor achiness now in all my fingers when I wake up - before taking that small dose of estrogen. My muscles are stiff now, especially lower back, legs, feet - tendons too. I do light stretching to help with that, but the stiffness forever comes back. I don't have joint pain. The rheumatologist recommended I get my estrogen intake re-evaluated, suggesting a different gynecologist. After the 2004 studies re estrogen link to breast cancer, gynecologists apply that info to EVERY woman. Unfortunately, my quality of life has been changed with lowered estrogen levels.
Posted by: kara1952 | September 24, 2011 1:24 PM
Want to make a comment about the Premarin use by another commentor. Last week I tried Premarin and it caused some incredible vag pain and mild hot flashes. I have to believe the small amt of testosterone caused my bad experience with Premarin, or something else about it. I will ask to try Estrace instead. Could the 'farmgirl' try something else, a non-Premarin estrogen product to see if she could be helped? I doubt it will repair existing damage, but it might improve the pain level? A gynecologist told me it is believed that estrogen helps with blood flow, and diminished blood flow in my muscles doesn't make them work as well - seems to me. When I was on a higher dose of estrogen, my soft tissues seemed plumper, which might also help with joint areas, providing some cushioning? Some day we will know more...
Posted by: kara1952 | September 24, 2011 1:40 PM
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Just curious. Was the estrogen level(even though it was low) in balance with other hormones in the body? I am estrogen dominant, even though I am low estrogen. I do have osteoarthritis in my knees, worse in the knee that I injured in an accident. Any comments?
Posted by: farmgirl | May 19, 2008 3:07 PM