Current investigations suggest that the joints of overweight people are not just damaged by excessive kilos. According to the studies, wear on the joint cartilage in hip and knee joints is also furthered by the hormones secreted by the fat tissue – leptin and resistin play a particular role here.
The high frequency of joint damage in overweight people does in fact have several causes. In addition to the mechanical strain, the leptin produced in the fat tissue probably triggers inflammatory reactions in the joints which damage the joint cartilage.
To prevent joint damage, the inflammatory effect of leptin can be reduced through medication. This type of medication is still being developed at present. However, removal of the cause of the increased production of leptin is just as effective: the overweight.
New Cosmetic Surgery is already giving doctors effective tools for this: firstly gentle liposuction with cannulas in the problem zones to remove superfluous fat. Following this, bio-identical hormones against the causes of overweight, usually hormonal imbalance. Combined with an individual training and nutrition plan, the ideal weight can be achieved in this way with medical support. This naturally requires a certain amount of self discipline on the part of the patient – but even a “silver bullet” has to be fired in order to reach its goal.
DDr. Heinrich, MD