Estradiol is a female sex hormone that is primarily secreted by mammalian ovaries. It can be provided as a supplement mainly to alleviate the adverse effects of menopause. The prevalence of osteoarthritis, a progressive and persistent joint disease associated with pain, is actually higher in this age group of women suggesting that estradiol deficiency is associated with the onset of osteoarthritis pain.
Goal
One of the primary symptoms and reasons for medical consultation in patients developing osteoarthritis is persistent and disabling musculoskeletal pain, particularly inconvenient for postmenopausal women. Over the long term, the central nervous system becomes weakened and the damage is irreversible. Therefore, it is essential to understand the underlying pain mechanisms to identify new treatments and improve life quality of patients. In this article, the researchers aimed to demystify the role of estradiol on the perceived levels of osteoarthritis pain.
Methodology
For this purpose, Prof. Troncy’s research team evaluated pain perception in rodents that had developed osteoarthritis, specifically female rats with exposed (or not) ovaries to iatrogenic estradiol supplementation. Assessments included biomechanical and sensory tests as well as monitoring the pain neuropeptides in the spinal cord.
Main Results
The results of this study demonstrated that sterilization (ovariectomy) of female rats was not harmless and that preventive estradiol supplementation significantly reduced the persistent pain levels in a surgically induced osteoarthritis model, confirming the possible interference of estradiol with pain perception mechanisms.
Take home message
Data from this preclinical study show estradiol’s analgesic (pain-relieving) effect to alleviate persistent pain related to osteoarthritis and to improve the well-being of candidates who may be afflicted by this pathology:
- Interruption of estradiol production at menopause appears to be an important factor in the onset of osteoarthritis pain in women (much more naturally affected than men).
- Estradiol supplementation appears to be an interesting approach to control osteoarthritis pain in postmenopausal women, and maybe why not in men too?
