Ann Rheum Dis -- eLetters for Amin et al., 0 (2006) 200605669

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Electronic Letters to:

Shreyasee Amin, Jingbo Niu, Ali Guermazi, Mikayel Grigoryan, David J Hunter, Margaret Clancy, Michael P LaValley, Harry K Genant, and David T Felson

Cigarette smoking and the risk for cartilage loss and knee pain in men with knee osteoarthritis
Ann Rheum Dis 2006; 0: ard.2006.056697v1 [Abstract]

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Smoking may reduce DHEA and cartilage maintenance: James M. Howard (13 December 2006)

Smoking may reduce DHEA and cartilage maintenance

13 December 2006

James M. Howard,
Biologist
independent

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Re: Smoking may reduce DHEA and cartilage maintenance

jmhoward{at}anthropogeny.com James M. Howard

Dear Editor

It is my hypothesis that most drugs of addiction activate DHEA release. When DHEA declines following drug activation of DHEA, the drug is again used to reactivate DHEA. This may be the basis of addiction. Smoking has been demonstrated to activate DHEA release (Neuropsychopharmacology. 2005 Sep;30(9):1751-63).

DHEA, estradiol, and testosterone have been found to "stimulate articular cartilage integration" ( Arthritis Rheum. 2006 Nov 28;54(12):3890-3897). I suggest long term use of drugs that activate DHEA in an addictive manner ultimately reduce DHEA production during the life span. I suggest the findings of Amin, et al., may be explained by long- term reduction of DHEA levels by smoking.

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