Arthritis risk may increase with lower testosterone levels.
A common and chronic ailment is arthritis. Sometimes it’s hard to tell why some people get arthritis and others don’t. Researchers continue to look into the factors, including hormones, that most predispose individuals to developing arthritis. Reduced serum testosterone levels may be linked to a higher risk of arthritis, according to a recent study. Although anyone can get arthritis, some people are more susceptible to certain types of the disease than others. Researchers looked at the relationship between testosterone levels and arthritis risk in a recent cross-sectional study that was published in Scientific Reports. They discovered that a higher risk of arthritis development was linked to lower testosterone levels through their examination of more than 10,000 adults. Future studies can examine how this relates to clinical practice and potential strategies for reducing the risk of arthritis. Mobility and joints are impacted by arthritis. Although arthritis comes in various forms, joint inflammation and pain are the two main symptoms. Osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis are among the various forms of arthritis. People with arthritis may find it difficult to work, carry out daily duties, and exercise.
A person’s risk of developing arthritis can be increased by a few factors, such as being overweight and having specific joint injuries. Risk factors for osteoarthritis include aging, weak muscles, and damaged joints. Some people who have one predisposing condition may also develop osteoarthritis. A certain genetic makeup and smoking are risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis. Not involved in the recent research, Dr. Alexander King, an osteopathic physician with a focus on neuromusculoskeletal medicine and owner of King Osteopathic Medicine and Medical Acupuncture, highlighted specific risk factors for arthritis to Medical News Today. These included an individual’s weight, joint ailments, and line of work. Dr. King informed MNT that “having a high body mass index or being obese raises the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis.”. “Excess weight puts additional stress on weight-bearing joints like the knees and hips,” he clarified. This risk can be decreased by maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise. He added, “Overuse or injury to joints, such as repetitive stress or knee bending, can contribute to the development of osteoarthritis,” and suggested that people take care of their joints by engaging in exercises that are specifically designed for that purpose. Similar to this, Dr. King stated that “jobs involving repetitive knee bending and squatting are associated with knee osteoarthritis.”. “Make sure the area where you work is.
The current study’s authors pointed out that earlier investigations had already hinted that testosterone levels might have an effect on the onset of arthritis. In their study analysis, they wished to explore the association in more detail. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which gathered data from Americans, was used by the researchers for this. Researchers included 10,439 participants in their analysis after removing individuals with missing data on testosterone levels or arthritis. They took into consideration a number of factors when gathering their data, such as marital status, sex, level of education, smoking, diabetes, and alcohol consumption. To take into account covariates that varied slightly, they employed three models. Participants in the study who did not have arthritis had higher serum testosterone levels than those who did. Additionally, an analysis using specific models revealed a link between a higher risk of arthritis and lower testosterone levels. According to their subgroup analysis, female participants and those with a higher body mass index showed a stronger correlation between lower testosterone and arthritis. In addition, the researchers used the participants’ testosterone levels to separate them into four groups. This was done, and the results showed that the group with the highest testosterone level had a 51 percent lower risk of developing arthritis than the group with the lowest testosterone level.
Chief clinical advisor at Biote and functional medicine specialist Dr. Cory Rice, who was not involved in this study, provided MNT with commentary on the results. He states that “this is an interesting study because it is a pattern that many of us see among our patients on a regular basis in clinical practice.”. That is to say, patients who have the lowest hormone levels—male or female—also tend to complain of pain that is similar to arthritis. This covers both the autoimmune-type arthropathies that are becoming more common in outpatient medicine as well as general age-related wear-and-tear types of joint arthropathies, Dr. Rice continued. There were several other restrictions on this study. First and foremost, the authors issued a warning, stating that no causal relationship between any of the factors could be established by this kind of study. Second, participant reporting was used by the researchers to diagnose arthritis, which may have introduced bias. The results might not apply to individuals or groups in other areas, the researchers added. Additionally, some covariables had missing data, which could have compromised the validity of the study. Lastly, they acknowledged that measurement errors and the omission of certain confounders were possible.
“The study didn’t necessarily reveal a ‘causal’ relationship between testosterone levels and arthritis,” Dr. King said to MNT. It is important to look into potential causes of subjects with higher testosterone levels having fewer cases of arthritis. These may include more exercise, a more balanced diet, and a decrease in body weight. It appears that individuals with healthier lifestyles will have higher testosterone levels and fewer arthritic causes. Overall, the findings suggest that monitoring testosterone levels in individuals who are more susceptible to arthritis may be beneficial. “Our studies have demonstrated a significant association between serum testosterone levels and arthritis,” the authors wrote in their conclusion. The significance of serum testosterone levels in arthritis patients is highlighted by the recent findings. However, more thorough prospective studies are needed as the findings were unable to establish a causal relationship. “.
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