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Zinc Levels Tied to Osteoarthritis

Zinc Levels Tied to Osteoarthritis

We’ve all heard that calcium is crucial for preventing bone and joint problems, but new research suggests there may be another mineral we need to be mindful of: zinc. In particular, a study suggests that levels of zinc within the cartilage cells may help to explain why tissue destruction occurs in patients with osteoarthritis.

Arthritis is a leading cause of disability in the world, affecting 52.5 million adults in the US alone. Despite the prevalence of osteoarthritis, there are currently no cures to stop the progression of cartilage destruction that takes place in individuals with the condition. Researchers are still attempting to understand what happens at a molecular level to cause the tissue degradation.

Osteoarthritis results in the break down of cartilage between the bones, causing joint stiffness and swelling. Tissue destruction is caused by proteins called matrix-degrading enzymes, which are produced by cells within the cartilage. Matrix-degrading enzymes need zinc to survive, which led researchers to hypothesize that zinc levels play an important role in osteoarthritis.

Using lab mice, the researchers found that a protein called ZIP8 is responsible for transporting zinc within the cells, setting off a chain of events that eventually results in cartilage destruction. Their findings suggest that treatments to deplete zinc in the cartilage cells or inhibit this ZIP8 function may help to stop osteoarthritis. If the research is confirmed in future studies, keeping zinc levels in check could become an integral part of osteoarthritis treatment.

Many patients with osteoarthritis find that it can be successfully managed by a conservative, multimodal treatment, including exercise, nutrition, and chiropractic care. Research suggests that a combination of chiropractic and exercise can significantly ease symptoms in patients with osteoarthritis in the knees, hip, and hands.

Article was written by Marissa Luck and is shared from www.chironexus.net

 

References

Zinc may be missing link for osteoarthritis therapies. Medical News Today. February 17, 2014. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/272658.php.

Cell, Kim et al. Regulation of the catabolic cascade in osteoarthritis by the zinc axis.

Reduce Joint Discomfort Through Weight Loss

Reduce Joint Discomfort Through Weight Loss

We want to share this great article with you! Every day our lives are influenced by the choices we make (or neglect to make) our attitudes and the care (or lack of) we choose to give ourselves.  There is no such thing as a person who cannot change – there is only such thing as a person who refuses to change or to believe that they can change.

If you have joint and weight issues – there is help. Eating healthy is not the same as eating cardboard. Our diet counseling program can help you make the transition from junk food to food that nurtures your body and your health. An added bonus is that you will lose weight at the same time! Give us a call at 652-3553 if you have decided you are ready to improve your life and your health!

Enjoy!:

You may not realize it, but with every step you take throughout your life, the pressure on your joints will be made worse if you’re carrying extra body weight. To carry even a single pound of extra body weight places added physical stress through the joints in your feet, ankles, knees, hips, and spine. The pressure is made worse if you’re walking up or down steps – and much worse when running.

The pressure on upper joints is just as bad. The spine has to support much of the body’s weight. Compression of intervertebral discs ensues, as does increased stress to the facet joints and to the supporting tissues of the spine.

So often medical doctors will mention that a patient should lose weight, then write a prescription for an anti-inflammatory. They know that most people will struggle to shed their excess pounds, so it’s much easier to medicate the condition rather than try to convince the patient that a lifestyle change is needed.

Joint arthrosis, known to most as arthritis, is stressful enough without adding the stress of losing weight to the equation. However, it’s very important to find ways to shed the extra pounds, because with each minute you have that extra weight on you, increased joint compression is adding to your discomfort. Lose weight successfully, and you’ll overcome much of your physical load in the body’s joints. You’ll then be more open to dietary change and exercise, as the discomfort in exercise will be lessened with less body weight, and your openness to a healthier diet shall follow. By losing just a few pounds, your joints will have a greater chance of recovery. The joint arthrosis will progress considerably slower, your joints will receive a better nutrient supply through production of more synovial fluid, and the articular cartilage will last much longer.

Your joints have well-formed cartilage at youth, but through wear and tear, the articular cartilage is jeopardized. The result can be compared to metal rubbing against metal, while the grease needed to lubricate the moving apparatus is worn away. With added weight combined with reduced cartilage, the jarring effect – through the knees in particular – becomes continually worse. The articular cartilage diminishes, leading to increased inflammation and discomfort.
Arthritis doesn’t tend to resolve itself, and generally gets worse simply through increased wear and tear. Weight loss doesn’t occur without some lifestyle changes, but it’s something that certainly doesn’t require drugs. It’s one aspect of control you can exert over the crippling effects of joint arthrosis. Take control, take action, lose weight… and reduce your joint discomfort.

by Corey Mote, DC

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(Dr. Corey Mote is a chiropractic physician, professional natural bodybuilder, exercise physiologist, columnist for various fitness magazines nationally and internationally, as well as a consultant for a United Kingdom-based vocational fitness program known as U-Phorm.)