Hormones
Women are often at higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis than men. This can be directly attributed to the effects of reproductive hormone progesterone and estrogen in women. Studies have shown that middle-aged women will experience less joint pain or discomfort during pregnancy and menstrual cycles. Those events lead to higher levels of hormones in their bodies. Those substances can provide a protective effect against rheumatoid arthritis. Since the production of both hormones is reduced with age, older women are likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than younger women. [2]
