Degenerative joint disease Osteoarthritis

Another inflammatory driven condition

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. 80% of people over the age of 55 has been documented to have radiological evidence of joint degeneration (Stross JK, Bole GG, 1985).

Years ago the belief was that osteoarthritis was not an inflammatory disease, but only caused by wear and tear. There is however evidence now that inflammation also plays a role (Monibi F, et al. 2015).

Research has shown that the severity of pain increased as the inflammatory marker hs‐CRP increased in patients with osteoarthritis (Sturmer T, et al. 2004). Not only is inflammation playing a role, but free radical damage is also affecting the cartilage.

In this study patients with osteoarthritis had approximately a 4 fold lower level of extracellular SOD, the body’s own antioxidant enzymes (Regan E, Flannelly J, et al. 2005). When the blood glucose is too high, the glucose reacts with proteins causing glycosylated protein resulting in tissue damage.

As we get older glycation contributes to stiffer and more brittle cartilage (Verzijl N et al. 2000).

This is another reason why it is beneficial for you to eat low glycemic index, high nutrient food.

Learn to Eat:

  Recommendations that work. This is not a regular diet program.

Monibi F, Roller BL, Stoker A, Garner B, Bal S, Cook JL. Identification of Synovial Fluid Biomarkers for Knee Osteoarthritis and Correlation with Radiographic Assessment. J Knee Surg. 2015 Apr 30.

Stross JK, Bole GG. Evaluation of an educational program for primary care practitioners, on the management of osteoarthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 1985 Jan;28(1):108-11. No abstract available.

Stürmer T, Brenner H, Koenig W, Günther KP. Severity and extent of osteoarthritis and low grade systemic inflammation as assessed by high sensitivity C reactive protein. Ann Rheum Dis. 2004 Feb;63(2):200-5.

Regan E¹, Flannelly J, Bowler R, Tran K, Nicks M, Carbone BD, Glueck D, Heijnen H, Mason R, Crapo J. Extracellular superoxide dismutase and oxidant damage in osteoarthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2005 Nov;52(11):3479-91.

Verzijl N, DeGroot J, Oldehinkel E, Bank RA, Thorpe SR, Baynes JW, Bayliss MT, Bijlsma JW, Lafeber FP, Tekoppele JM. Age-related accumulation of Maillard reaction products in human articular cartilage collagen. Biochem J. 2000 Sep 1;350 Pt 2:381-7.