Obesity, Osteoarthritis, and Myokines: Balancing Weight Management Strategies, Myokine Regulation, and Muscle Health

Abstract

Obesity and osteoarthritis (OA) are increasingly prevalent conditions that are intricately linked, with each exacerbating the other's pathogenesis and worsening patient outcomes. This review explores the dual impact of obesity on OA, highlighting the role of excessive weight in aggravating joint degeneration and the limitations OA imposes on physical activity, which further perpetuates obesity. The role of muscle tissue, particularly the release of myokines during physical activity, is examined in the context of OA and obesity. Myokines such as irisin, IL-6, and myostatin are discussed for their roles in metabolic regulation, inflammation, and tissue repair, offering insights into their potential therapeutic targets. This review emphasizes the importance of supervised weight management methods in parallel with muscle rehabilitation in improving joint health and metabolic balance. The potential for myokine modulation through targeted exercise and weight loss interventions to mitigate the adverse effects of obesity and OA is also discussed, suggesting avenues for future research and therapy development to reduce the burden of these chronic conditions.

Keywords: inflammation; myokines; obesity; osteoarthritis; physical activity; weight management.

Figure 1

Sedentary life and obesity are associated with muscle inactivity/waste and predominance of pro-inflammatory status and catabolic myokines (such as Il-6 and myostatin), favoring occurrence and progression of osteoarthritis. Lean mass, brown adipose tissue, and physical activity increase predominance of anabolic myokines (such as irisin, BAIBA, myonectin, and FGF21) contributing to joint health. Ascending arrows signify increased myokine/cytokine expression. More evidence is needed to understand impact of different types of weight management strategies including physical activity on muscle mass, myokine release, and articular joint and overall health.