Can joint pain during the menopause, be cause by collagen deficiency? If so, is there any way of treating this? I had Lupus in my youth, and I wondered if my joint pain could be related to that.

Oestrogen decreases collagen production and progesterone increases it, but what is most destructive is fluctuating oestrogen levels, which is obviously a key factor during the menopause.  

Oestrogen is also a soft tissue relaxant. As levels change throughout the month, so does ligament laxity. Ligaments then become less elastic during the menopause as oestrogen levels fall permanently.

Taking a plant based oestrogen, such as Menopause Support, can reduce some of the impact of oestrogen loss, and Devils Claw can help counter pain and tenderness in the meantime.

Eileen Durward