What Do Joint Pain Have To Do With Intestinal Bacteria?
Can intestinal bacteria really cause joint pain? Various studies show that these influence the immune system and can consequently trigger complaints in other parts of the body.
Rheumatoid arthritis results from the wear and tear on cartilage tissue caused by inflammation and stiffness in one or more joints. But what does joint pain have to do with intestinal bacteria ?
Even though various studies have determined some risk factors that can lead to this disease, researchers still do not fully agree on the direct cause.
In search of a clearer cause of joint discomfort, a group of researchers focused on a possible trigger that has received little attention until now. The bacteria that settle in the intestines.
In recent studies it has been found that intestinal bacteria can cause various joint problems. Including the pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis.
In addition , certain intestinal bacteria could also alter the immune system and lead to chronic problems.
Intestinal bacteria – triggers of joint pain
In a study from 2013, the rheumatologist Dr. José shear (University of New York, USA) found that people with rheumatoid arthritis more vulnerable to Darmbakterie called Prevotella copri are, than those who do not suffer from it.
In another study, Scher found that patients with psoriatic arthritis had lower levels of important gut bacteria.
This study is part of a global effort by various scientists. You want to understand the microbiome (microorganisms that colonize the gastrointestinal tract), which plays an important role in general health.
It is estimated that there are up to 1000 different types of bacteria in the intestine. These can weigh between 1 and 2 kilograms. In recent years, many scientists have tried to prove that these organisms have a great impact on human health.
Some of them can cause illness, while others protect the body from them.
Gut bacteria affect the immune system
Veena Taneja, an immunologist at Clínica Mayo in Rochester, Minnesota, says “It is becoming increasingly clear that these microbes can affect the immune system.
As well as diseases that do not originate in the intestine and that joint pain is related to the intestinal bacteria ”.
The scientists are surprised at these results. Intestinal bacteria influence the immune system far more than previously thought.
The number of autoimmune diseases has increased steadily over the past few decades. Many miocrobioma researchers assume that at least part of this problem is due to the bacterial environment of the intestine, which has been changed by modern lifestyles.
Prevotella copri bacteria could be responsible for joint pain
Benign and harmful microbes affect gut health. This is where two thirds of the body’s immune cells are located.
During the digestive process , the gastrointestinal tract is constantly fighting with foreign microbes. These penetrate through the food and must be checked. This is how the body determines whether they are harmful and whether it has to destroy them.
The gut has developed an extensive immune system to carry out its functions. It also spreads to organs outside of the intestine.
The immune cells that colonize the intestines have the ability to activate inflammatory cells throughout the body, including the joints.
The expert José Scher assumes that the bacterium Prevotella copri can trigger an immune reaction. This reaction can then be relayed to tissues and cause pain in the joints.
Another theory is that this bacteria can relocate benign microbes in the gut, weakening the immune system.
This theory is supported by many scientists, because the study with people with an increased percentage of the bacterium Prevotella copri found a reduced level of Bacteroides fragilis , a benign bacteria that affects the immune system.
The results of this study have led to new investigations in order to then develop new strategies. One would like to use the bacteria as medicine against immune diseases.
Health experts recommend consuming probiotics (good bacteria) to restore intestinal flora and alleviate health problems such as acne, insomnia, or other ailments related to intestinal health.
