Arthritis is a common condition that causes pain and inflammation in the joints. It often progresses with age and is more common in older adults. Some research shows that inflammatory forms of arthritis, like rheumatoid arthritis, may be linked to accelerated aging in some ways. This article reviews the evidence on whether arthritis makes you age faster.
What is arthritis?
Arthritis refers to over 100 different conditions that affect the joints, tissues around the joint, and other connective tissues. It leads to pain, aching, stiffness, and swelling in and around the joints.
The most common types of arthritis are:
- Osteoarthritis – wear and tear arthritis that occurs with aging
- Rheumatoid arthritis – inflammatory autoimmune form of arthritis
- Gout – caused by uric acid crystal buildup in the joints
- Psoriatic arthritis – occurs along with the skin condition psoriasis
While osteoarthritis is degenerative and age-related, rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory types of arthritis are autoimmune conditions. This means the immune system attacks the joints, causing damage and inflammation.
Both degenerative and inflammatory arthritis can accelerate signs of aging in the joints and bones. However, some research shows that inflammatory forms like rheumatoid arthritis may also contribute to premature aging throughout the body.
Does arthritis accelerate aging?
Some of the key points on arthritis and premature aging include:
- Inflammatory arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis are associated with faster telomere shortening.
- Telomeres cap the ends of chromosomes and shorten with age.
- Shortened telomeres are linked to many age-related diseases.
- The chronic inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis leads to increased cell turnover and telomere shortening.
- People with rheumatoid arthritis have telomeres similar in length to those 10-15 years older.
In addition, rheumatoid arthritis is tied to:
- Increased oxidative stress and free radical damage
- Changes in DNA methylation patterns implicated in aging
- Higher risk of numerous age-related diseases
Based on this, rheumatoid arthritis does appear to be associated with accelerated biological aging in some aspects. However, more research is still needed.
Telomeres and aging
Telomeres are segments of DNA at the ends of chromosomes that protect them from damage and instability. Each time a cell divides, the telomeres get a little shorter. Once telomeres become very short, the cell can no longer divide and becomes inactive or dies.
Shortened telomeres are associated with:
- Cellular aging
- Increased disease risk
- Tissue damage
- Organ decline
- Earlier mortality
Shorter telomere length is linked to many age-related conditions like heart disease, diabetes, dementia, osteoporosis, and cancer. It is considered a key biomarker of biological aging.
Telomeres shorten faster with rheumatoid arthritis
Studies show that people with rheumatoid arthritis have shorter telomeres than expected for their age:
- On average, telomeres are shortened by 6-10 years in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
- Telomere length resembles that of someone 10-15 years older.
- The more severe the rheumatoid arthritis, the shorter the telomeres.
The increased cell turnover and chronic inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis is thought to accelerate telomere attrition. Shortened telomeres are not seen in osteoarthritis.
Table 1. Telomere length in rheumatoid arthritis vs. healthy controls
| Study Group | Age Range | Telomere Length |
|---|---|---|
| Rheumatoid arthritis patients | 48-87 years | Shortened 6-10 years |
| Healthy controls | Matched ages | Normal for age |
This table summarizes findings from multiple studies showing that rheumatoid arthritis patients have telomeres shortened to an extent equal to 6-10 years of normal aging compared to healthy age-matched controls.
Other markers of premature aging in rheumatoid arthritis
In addition to shortened telomeres, rheumatoid arthritis shows other changes often seen in normal aging:
Increased oxidative stress
Oxidative stress refers to an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants in the body. It leads to cellular damage. Oxidative stress increases with normal aging.
Studies show higher measures of oxidative stress and lower antioxidant levels in rheumatoid arthritis patients. The chronic inflammation appears to trigger excessive free radical production.
DNA methylation changes
DNA methylation is the attachment of methyl groups to DNA which modifies gene expression. Methylation patterns change in certain genes during normal aging.
Some of these same age-related methylation changes are seen in the white blood cells of rheumatoid arthritis patients. It provides more evidence that biological aging may be accelerated.
Higher risk of age-related diseases
Rheumatoid arthritis patients have a higher risk of many diseases of aging including:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Metabolic syndrome
- Osteoporosis
- Cognitive decline
- Certain cancers
- Fibromyalgia
- Fatigue
- Depression
The increased prevalence of these age-related conditions provides indirect evidence that rheumatoid arthritis may accelerate aspects of biological aging.
Does arthritis treatment slow aging?
Since uncontrolled inflammation appears to drive premature aging in rheumatoid arthritis, reducing inflammation with medication may slow this process.
Some research indicates that rheumatoid arthritis drugs like methotrexate and TNF inhibitors help stabilize telomere length. But findings are mixed, and more research is needed.
Controlling rheumatoid arthritis with drugs may help reduce:
- Flare-ups
- Joint damage
- Chronic inflammation
- Oxidative stress
- Risk of age-related diseases
All of these factors are tied to accelerated aging. So effective treatment could help slow biological aging. But more clinical studies are needed.
Anti-aging tips for arthritis patients
Along with medical treatment, arthritis patients can promote healthy aging by:
- Following an anti-inflammatory diet
- Exercising regularly
- Not smoking
- Losing excess weight
- Reducing stress
- Getting good sleep
A balanced diet rich in antioxidants can combat oxidative stress. Regular exercise can lower inflammation and disease risk. Other healthy lifestyle habits can also slow aspects of biological aging.
The bottom line
Some key takeaways on arthritis and aging include:
- Inflammatory types of arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis are linked to premature biological aging.
- Rheumatoid arthritis patients have shorter telomeres than expected for their age.
- Shortened telomeres indicate cellular aging and are tied to age-related disease risk.
- Chronic inflammation appears to accelerate telomere shortening in rheumatoid arthritis.
- Rheumatoid arthritis also shows other age-related changes like oxidative stress, methylation shifts, and higher disease risk.
- Controlling inflammation may help slow accelerated aging.
- A healthy lifestyle can support healthy aging.
In summary, the chronic inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis does appear to contribute to faster biological aging in some aspects. Managing inflammation and living a healthy lifestyle are key to supporting healthy aging with arthritis. More research is still needed to confirm the links between arthritis, accelerated aging, and age-related disease risk.