Over the last few years, there’s been a huge amount of media and information about the microbiome and how it can affect multiple functions in our bodies. From links to autoimmune, anxiety, depression, and general well-being, it’s no surprise we are all sitting up and listening.
What’s the link to OA?
Part of the problem in determining potential helpful strategies or treatments in the area of OA is that the gut microbiome interacts with multiple risk factors for OA, such as obesity, estrogen, age, sex, diet, metabolic syndrome, genetics, inflammation, mechanical loading, and exercise.
However, a recent paper caught my eye that I wanted to share:
The Microbiome in Osteoarthritis: a Narrative Review of Recent Human and Animal Model Literature:
Dunn, C.M., Jeffries, M.A. The Microbiome in Osteoarthritis: a Narrative Review of Recent Human and Animal Model Literature. Curr Rheumatol Rep 24, 139–148 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11926-022-01066-6
Purpose of the review: The microbiome has recently emerged as a powerful contributor to health and illness in chronic, systemic disorders. Furthermore, new microbiome niches beyond traditional gut locations are frequently being described. Over the past 5 years, numerous pivotal studies have demonstrated associations between changes in various microbiome niches and the development of osteoarthritis (OA). Herein, we review the most impactful recent literature, including microbiome associations with disease and the potential therapeutic value of microbiome manipulation.
Findings:
- The gut microbiome of human OA patients is enriched in specific bacterial clades, most notably Streptococcus, which correlates with OA pain, Firmicutes, and others.
- OA can be easily distinguished from RA by evaluating differences in oral microbiome composition. Most studies have also demonstrated a reduction in the richness of the gut microbiome (alpha diversity) associated with OA.
- Several studies have identified bacterial signatures within human knee and hip cartilage, synovial fluid, and synovial tissue and have described changes in these patterns occurring with the development of OA.
- In animal models of OA, high-fat diet-induced obesity has been the most well-studied OA risk factor associated with changes in the microbiome, with numerous bacterial clades changed within the gut microbiome and associated with OA.
- Also in animal models, various oral supplementations, including dietary fiber, probiotics including Lactobacillus species, and cecal microbiome transplantation have all shown improvements in OA histopathology or cartilage healing. Microbiome changes are strongly associated with the OA disease process and with individual OA risk factors related to both the gut microbiome and the microbial DNA patterns in the joint.
- Microbiome-directed interventions have the potential to prevent or reduce the progression of OA. Future studies should investigate the mechanistic underpinnings of these microbiome associations and further define the therapeutic potential of microbiome augmentation.
It’s a developing field
Clearly, the data is suggestive and not conclusive but having spent a large part of my career around joint preservation surgical technologies, the pre-surgical and preventative area is always fascinating. Prevention is better than cure.
Just like joint injections can directly nourish the joint, should we be focussing on nourishing our whole system before symptoms develop? It’s very subjective and any form of early joint preservation strategy is hard to quantify success, but my ‘gut’ feeling is a holistic approach throughout your life is the best way to go.
With Eos Active, we want to promote overall wellness and a holistic approach to MSK and joint preservation. From the start, we teamed up with Kirsten Cameron, an expert nutritionist. The goal was to create a complementary nutritional supplement range that is driven by as much data and research as possible.
Our range is simple and aims to support some key areas around staying active. We’re still developing the range, it’s taken time as we won’t compromise on certain areas of quality. If you are interested in working with us to offer our microbiome support option ‘The Core’ of any of the other packages in your own practice, get in touch.
Thanks for taking the time to read our update on the Mircbiome health for OA – Jim.