Arthritis has no age

Arthritis is a group of chronic diseases that affect the joints and other connective tissues. These conditions are often characterized by swelling, joint pain and stiffness.

A common misconception about arthritis is that it only affects older people. In reality, arthritis can occur at any age. In fact, teenagers can experience a wide range of symptoms throughout the body including, but not limited to, rashes, dry eyes, sensitivity to light, high fever, swelling, redness and/or tenderness around the joints, difficulty moving after long periods of rest, diarrhea, shortness of breath, and more. This is diagnosed as juvenile arthritis or idiopathic arthritis. As children get older, the symptoms may disappear or they may be diagnosed with adult-onset arthritis.

Although osteoarthritis is usually diagnosed in people over 55 or postmenopausal, anyone can develop it. And like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis can develop at any age; however, it usually appears between the ages of 30 and 60. Today we will focus on these two types, which are usually the most common.

  

The most common types of arthritis

There are  more than 100 diseases arthritic, but the most common are osteoarthritis (a degenerative condition) and rheumatoid arthritis (an autoimmune disease).

 

Osteoarthritis (OA) or Osteoarthritis

OA occurs when the cartilage lining your joints wears down to the point where your bones rub against each other. It is a degenerative disease that gets worse over time and makes it difficult to perform everyday tasks.

Osteoarthritis is usually diagnosed in people over 55 or in menopause, but anyone can develop it at any age. Major joint injuries from accidents, sports injuries, and even repeated stress can lead to a diagnosis of osteoarthritis. Having health conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and even autoimmune disorders also increase the chances of developing OA.

It is believed, however, that OA is misconceptualized because our body is in a constant balance of degradation and repair. The problem occurs when degradation happens more frequently than repair.

Among the characteristics that describe osteoarthritis are an alteration in postural biomechanics and body movements. Therefore, it should not be considered a degenerative disease, rather, it is up to us to find the repair tools to regenerate those affected parts of the body. This is achieved by neutralizing and treating inflammation in the body, adopting adequate nutrition ; addressing the points of mechanical dysfunction that favor an incorrect posture and re-educating the body to recover postural biomechanics ; and improving poor circulation through physical activity and exercise .

 

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

RA is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the entire body. It damages the joints of the fingers and hands, feet and toes, knees, ankles, wrists; but it can also affect the skin, eyes, mouth, lungs, and heart.

It is generally assumed that RA is a genetic consequence, although some people actually have genes that make them prone to immune reactions, whether due to histamines, antibodies, B or T lymphocytes, and that can promote an autoimmune attack on their cells.

 

Factors that could induce the appearance of arthritis

The exact cause of arthritis is currently unknown, however, there are some factors that may increase the risk of developing arthritis later in life.

 

Gender

Being born female tends to make you more susceptible to developing RA because of the decrease in estrogen as you age. Also, women have two copies of the X chromosome which can increase the chance of a genetic mutation. If this happens in the human leukocyte antigen region of an X chromosome, a woman's immune system would be vulnerable.

On the other hand, men are more susceptible to developing gout. Gout occurs when urate crystals build up in the joint, causing the inflammation and intense pain that characterizes a gout attack. Urate crystals can form when there are high levels of uric acid in the blood. The body produces uric acid when it breaks down purines, substances that are naturally found in the body.

 

Genetics

It is thought that if any of your immediate biological family members, such as a parent or sibling, have arthritis, you may be at increased risk of developing the same form of arthritis later in life.

The thing about genes is that we, depending on our lifestyle ( diet, physical activity, stress management, restful sleep ), have the ability to “activate” or “deactivate” certain genes and this is what is known as EPIGENETICS .

In fact, epigenetics is a field of study that identifies how your behavior and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes function. Unlike genetic changes (mutations), epigenetic changes are reversible and do not modify the sequence of DNA bases, but they can change the way the organism reads a DNA sequence.

If you take all of your DNA, human DNA as such corresponds to 1%, but your body also houses bacteria and microbes that have their own DNA that corresponds to 99% of your DNA and that live mainly in your colon and your respiratory tract. 

The health of your colon is extremely important, as it contains 100 million neurons and is the main producer of neurotransmitters. For this reason, it has been called “the second brain.”

Additionally, the gut is home to 1 trillion immune cells, meaning that the majority of your immune system is basically located in the colon. It is logical, then, to consider that factors such as diet, physical activity, stress management, and restful sleep, mainly , which, according to epigenetics, have the ability to “activate” and “deactivate” genes, can balance or unbalance the health of your gut.

 

Mitochondrial function

Although the exact cause of autoimmune diseases is considered unknown, science emphasizes the fundamental role that mitochondrial function plays in the development and evolution of these diseases.

It turns out that the same factors that can cause your genes to be “activated” or “deactivated”—such as diet, stress, pollution, and even household chemicals and drugs—and that can contribute to the increase in autoimmune diseases, also affect your mitochondrial function.

Mitochondria , often referred to as the “powerhouses of the cell,” play a crucial role in energy production and cellular metabolism. They are also involved in regulating immune responses, to the point that they have also been described as the “immune powerhouses.”

According to research conducted with researchers from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, mitochondria have been shown to be critical players at the organelle level in the initiation and progression of multiple autoimmune diseases. Therefore, malfunctioning mitochondria are thought to play a key role in immune system problems. Damaged mitochondria cannot sustain important signaling molecules, such as mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS). In addition, debris from damaged mitochondria, such as mitochondrial DNA, can trigger abnormal inflammation.

In this sense, when damaged mitochondria or their components are released into a cell or the surrounding area, they can trigger inflammation because the immune system recognizes them as foreign, as if they were bacteria or other pathogens.

How may mitochondrial dysfunction be linked to rheumatoid arthritis (RA)?

A recently published study has indicated that mitochondrial DNA is increased in the plasma of RA patients. This mitochondrial DNA may act as a DAMP [mitochondrial danger-associated molecule] and induce or maintain inflammatory responses in RA.… T-cell mitochondria in RA have defective DNA repair mechanisms, which is associated with low mitochondrial oxygen consumption and ATP production.

 

Previous injuries and repeated stress

If you have suffered joint injuries (often occurring during contact sports), the existing damage may worsen over time, particularly due to changes in the mechanics of movement, impairing your posture in one or more parts of the body.

 

Obesity

Being overweight puts extra strain on the joints in your hands, spine, hips, and knees. As such, it can cause the cartilage and connective tissues surrounding the joint to deteriorate more quickly over time. This could lead to a diagnosis of Osteoarthritis (OA).

 

Could your diet have a causal relationship with Arthritis?

Both as a risk factor and as a treatment strategy, the relationship between diet and osteoarthritis has been a topic of great interest. Low intakes of certain nutrients, such as vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, and magnesium, have been shown to increase the risk of osteoarthritis progression or worsening of symptoms.

A study published in the journal Frontiers found that muesli intake was negatively associated with knee osteoarthritis, spinal osteoarthritis and total knee replacement. Nut intake was negatively associated with knee osteoarthritis and total knee replacement.

On the other hand, the same study mentions that cheese consumption can reduce the risk of osteoarthritis of the knee and spine.

 

Another study from the Wiley Library showed that the Mediterranean dietary pattern reduced the progression of osteoarthritis symptoms. While the Western dietary pattern (or "Standard American Diet") increased the symptomatic progression of osteoarthritis. Increasing total fiber consumption reduced the symptomatic progression of osteoarthritis and the worsening of pain, but the effects of fiber from each food group were inconclusive.

 

When reviewing the most up-to-date studies on the effect of diet on osteoarthritis, a diet low in sugar and allergens, high in fiber and processed dairy products can help alleviate the symptoms of this condition.

The protocol called “anti-inflammatory diet” recommends, in addition to the foods already mentioned, opting for whole foods, animal protein, vegetables and some saturated fats.

In terms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), based on the genome-wide association methodology that has generated a wealth of strong associations for a range of traits and diseases, it is believed that an epigenetic approach could effectively counteract the environmental triggers of rheumatoid arthritis and this is done by addressing aspects of diet , digestion , restful sleep , exercise and stress management .

It is crucial for any type of autoimmune disease and especially for arthritis to provide your gut with both soluble and insoluble plant fibers to create a healthy cycle of growth and decomposition of bacteria in the colon. Remember that the intestinal flora is mainly composed of an environment of oxygen-intolerant bacteria, while oxygen-tolerant bacteria that are also present should be kept to a minimum. Therefore, it is essential to support mitochondrial function and maintain a balanced intestinal environment.

 

EXERCISES to prevent, relieve and improve the symptoms of arthritis but also help balance the other epigenetic factors involved in the control of arthritis, any of its types

According to the American College of Rheumatology, “ Exercise and arthritis can and should coexist. People with arthritis who exercise regularly have less pain, more energy, better sleep quality, and better function in daily tasks.” ( article )

The same institution emphasizes that people with many forms of arthritis can safely exercise regularly and in the right way. Long-term studies have shown that even people with inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), can benefit from moderate-intensity, weight-bearing activity.

For osteoarthritis (OA) in the knee or elsewhere in the body, programs that combine strengthening, stretching, and aerobic exercise reduce symptoms, improve joint mobility and function, increase coordination and balance, and control body weight.

  

Exercises recommended by the American College of Rheumatology:

Flexibility exercises. Active range of motion and stretching exercises help maintain and improve flexibility in affected joints and surrounding muscles. This helps improve posture and function, and decreases the risk of injury.

Active range of motion exercises should be performed 5 to 10 times a day. Performing range of motion exercises in the morning helps to get the joints moving. It is recommended that stretching exercises be performed 4 to 5 days a week and that each stretch be held for 10 to 15 seconds.

 

Strength training . As the muscle gets stronger, it provides greater support to the joint and helps decrease the load and stress placed on the painful joint. Strong muscles, in addition to improving joint function, help reduce bone loss associated with inactivity, some forms of inflammatory arthritis, and the use of certain medications (corticosteroids).

It is recommended that you perform a set of 8 to 10 exercises for the major muscle groups of the body, 4 to 5 times a week. Most people should do 8 to 10 repetitions of each exercise. For older people, 10 to 15 repetitions with less resistance may be more appropriate. The resistance or weight should be of sufficient intensity to work the muscles without increasing pain.

 

Cardiovascular endurance exercises . Aerobic exercise improves the functioning of the heart, lungs, and muscles. For people with arthritis, this type of exercise is beneficial for weight control, mood, sleep, and overall health.

Some safe ways to do this type of exercise include walking, aerobic dancing, water aerobics, cycling, or exercises using equipment such as stationary bikes, treadmills, or ellipticals.

 

Body awareness or proprioception exercises. These exercises incorporate activities to improve posture, balance, joint position sense, coordination, and relaxation. And while some of these improvements are achieved with the types of exercises already mentioned, in many cases, problems in these areas require different exercises. Tai chi and yoga are examples of disciplines that incorporate elements of body awareness.

An arthritis diagnosis, no matter what your age, should not stop you from living your life to the fullest. Take advantage of this information, as well as the support and help that your doctor, physical therapists and trainers at the gym can provide. As your quality of life improves, so will your confidence to resume the activities you love.