Study Finds Knee Cartilage May Be Spared by Weight Loss

(Newswire.net — December 21, 2016) Orlando, FL — Obesity has long been considered as an epidemic that affects many countries around the world. It is also linked with the development of highly prevalent conditions, such as arthritis.

A study finds that knee cartilage may be spared by weight loss. Today, it has become quite easy to gain weight and extremely difficult to lose extra pounds.

In the new study, it was found that losing significant amount of excess weight has been able to slow down the loss of knee cartilage in obese individuals. It is important to note that obesity is a huge risk factor for knee osteoarthritis.

This degenerative joint disease may result in joint replacement surgery. In the study, the researchers had 500 obese and overweight individuals in the United States who suffered from mild to moderate osteoarthritis. There were also those who had risk factors for the condition.

They were randomly assigned to a no-weight-loss control group, a group with little weight loss, and a group that lost over 10% of their body weight. The researchers monitored the condition of the participants for four years.

It was found that significant weight loss resulted in the protection against cartilage degeneration. The researchers also found that larger weight loss amount resulted in greater cartilage protection.

The study was presented in Chicago at the Radiological Society of North America annual meeting. Dr. Alexandra Gersing, study author, said in a Society news release that cartilage degeneration was significantly slower in the group that loss over 10% of their body weight, particularly in the weight-bearing areas of their knees. Dr. Gersing is from the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at the University of California, San Francisco.

She also added that the participants with 5-10% weight loss exhibited almost no difference in cartilage degeneration when compared to the group who did not lose any weight at all.

It is also important to note that in the study, significant weight loss did not only slow down the loss of knee joint cartilage but it also reduced osteoarthritis risk. According to Dr. Gersing, weight loss along with moderate exercise may potentially prevent the onset of the disease.

Today, there are many alternatives available for arthritis sufferers. There are joint enhancement supplements, such as glucosamine, that are widely used not just by arthritis sufferers but also athletes.

One of the most popular glucosamine supplements contains other natural ingredients, such as chondroitin, MSM, and turmeric.

(www.amazon.com/glucosamine-sulfate-supplement/dp/B00DUMO9X4)