Can bioidentical hormone therapy help your arthritis?
Jan Nelson | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 years, 6 months AGO
As we age, those overused and abused joints seem to scream louder and louder, resulting in an ever-increasing use of ibuprofen. Degenerative osteoarthritis is a progressive joint destruction from years of wear and tear. Recent medical research shows that menopausal estrogen deficiency is causative in developing degeneration of the joints. Inflammation in the body causes degenerative diseases which in turn trigger more inflammation.
Research has shown bioidentical hormone replacement titrated to optimal levels helps to decrease inflammation in the body. Studies show osteoarthritis increases dramatically in women after menopause. Outcomes from these studies revealed postmenopausal women who were using bioidentical hormones (BHRT) reported a decrease in osteoarthritis compared to those who were not using BHRT. Dr. Herrero-Beaumont of Spain (2008) reported three causes of osteoarthritis after a review of literature from 1952-2008; genetic, menopause-related estrogen deficiency and aging. "There is now increasing evidence that estrogens influence the activity of joint tissues through complex molecular pathways that act at multiple levels." Osteoarthritis of the hip is reduced by 43 percent, while a 60 percent decrease in knee osteoarthritis was noted with BHRT.
Genetic causes of arthritis were associated with genetic abnormalities which showed a 60 percent increased risk for knee arthritis. The results from this study by Dr Riancho (2010) indicated large joint osteoarthritis may be improved with maintaining estrogen levels. Estrogen activity seems to play a role in preserving joint cartilage as well as preventing osteoarthritis.
Lifestyle modifications to include a diet utilizing whole foods, low impact exercises and optimizing or correcting hormone levels can reduce the arthritic joint pain that can slow us down. The focus here is decreasing inflammation in the body. Vitamin D3 has shown to decrease inflammation as well. A decrease in inflammation results in an increase in quality of life!
For more information contact Jan Nelson at Balanced Wellness Medical Clinic, (509) 919-4575, [email protected], www.balancedwellnessmed.com.
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