What is common between intestinal bacteria and the development of arthrosis?
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
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It would seem, what kind of relationship between intestinal bacteria and joint diseases? Nevertheless, with the help of research it was possible to prove that the imbalance of the intestinal flora is capable of provoking joint pain.
In our country, approximately one in three people over 45 years old suffers from arthrosis to some extent. Among people older than 65 years, the number of patients with articular pathologies is already 70%. In the United States, the number of people suffering from arthrosis is close to 31 million people.
Degenerative changes in the joints lead to disability: arthrosis is incurable.
Physicians at all times believed that arthrosis is due to prolonged and increased stress on the joints - and not only with heavy work in the workplace, but also because of excess weight.
Now, American specialists have been able to explain the relationship between such pathologies as intestinal dysbiosis, obesity and osteoarthritis.
Representatives of the Medical Center at the University of Rochester argue that taking prebiotics can affect the health of joints. A study was conducted under the direction of Michael Zustik, professor in orthopedics, an employee of the Center of the musculoskeletal system.
In the course of the research work, scientists gave rodents fodder with high fat content for 3 months. Mice gradually developed such diseases as obesity and diabetes, and the quality of the intestinal flora changed for the worse. As suggested by experts, excess fat led to the rapid proliferation of pro-inflammatory microorganisms. The number of useful microflora significantly decreased, including lactobacillus, and bifidobacteria. At the same time, the content of inflammatory markers in the body of mice increased, in particular, in the joint tissues.
Then the experimental rodents were damaged joint and observed the course of arthrosis. In rodents with disturbed intestinal flora, the destruction of the cartilage took place more quickly - wear was observed after three months.
"Cartilage cartilage acts as a shock absorber and lubricant, contributing to motor freedom. If this function is broken, the bones begin to rub against each other like stones. At the end of this process, the only way out is joint prosthetics. Investigating osteoarthritis, we want to slow down, or completely prevent the development of this pathology, "the researchers explained.
The next stage of the work was fattening the second group of rodents. In this case, along with fatty food, mice were offered a prebiotic drug oligofructose. According to the results of the analysis, scientists found that the prebiotic activated the development of useful flora and inhibited the multiplication of pathogenic microbes. The intake of the prebiotic led to a decrease in inflammatory markers, and rodents became more resistant to the development of osteoarthritis.
In addition, the stabilization of the intestinal flora played a role in the prevention of diabetes, improving the parameters of carbohydrate metabolism.
Scientists suggest that problems with the intestines and joint diseases are connected by common roots, and medicine is able to prevent or slow the development of arthrosis by improving the quality of microflora.
The information is described in an article published by the journal JCI Insight.