CBD and Osteoarthritis: What women need to know

Your joints may have started to ache when the weather changes, creak going up stairs, or just don’t feel as strong as they used to. If you're a woman over 40, chances are you’ve noticed some stiffness or pain in your knees, hips, or fingers. That’s not just “getting older”, that could be osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is incredibly common, especially among women. In fact, women are more likely than men to develop it, especially after menopause. Why? Hormonal changes during this phase of life can affect bone density, muscle mass, and, yes, joint health. As oestrogen levels drop, inflammation and oxidative stress can rise, making it easier for cartilage to break down over time.

Cartilage is the cushion in your joints, it helps bones glide smoothly when you move. But with osteoarthritis, that cushion wears away. The result? Pain, stiffness, swelling and reduced mobility. It can feel frustrating and can be limiting. But the good news is, researchers are learning more and more about what actually causes this breakdown and how natural remedies like CBD may help.

The Menopause Connection

Women often report joint pain increasing around the time of perimenopause and menopause. While part of this is hormonal, there's also something deeper happening at the cellular level. Scientists are looking at new processes inside our bodies that might be making joints more vulnerable and one of the most interesting ones is called ferroptosis.

Ferroptosis and why it is important 

Ferroptosis is a kind of cell death. Not the usual kind where old cells just stop working and are replaced with new ones. Instead, ferroptosis is a more intense, destructive process where cells die because of stress caused by iron build-up and a lack of antioxidants. When this happens in your cartilage, the soft tissue that protects your joints, it can speed up damage and make osteoarthritis worse.

In simple terms: if your joints are already under stress (because of aging, hormone changes, or previous injuries), ferroptosis can act like a wrecking ball, breaking down the healthy tissue your body needs to move easily and pain-free.

CBD and the science of cell protection

Researchers at Paracelsus Medical University in Austria took a closer look at how CBD might help protect joint tissue from this kind of damage.

They studied human cartilage cells (called chondrocytes) in the lab and exposed them to compounds that are known to trigger ferroptosis. As expected, the cells began to die. But when the researchers added CBD into the mix, the results changed dramatically.

CBD actually helped the cartilage cells survive. And the more CBD they used, the more effective it was. In fact, the CBD helped restore the function of an important antioxidant enzyme called glutathione peroxidase 4 (or GPX4, if you want to sound like a scientist). This enzyme is a frontline defender against oxidative stress—the kind of stress that leads to joint breakdown.

So what does this mean? It means CBD might actually stop or slow down one of the key processes behind osteoarthritis. It’s not just masking the pain. It’s helping to protect the cells that keep your joints moving smoothly.

How to take CBD for osteoarthritis?

Now that we know CBD has potential in protecting joints from the inside out, how do we actually use it?

There are two main ways people use CBD for joint support:

1. Oral CBD – This includes classic CBD oil, capsules or CBD shots. Taken this way, CBD is absorbed into the bloodstream and can help regulate inflammation and stress throughout the body.

2. Topical CBD – Our miracle serum, arnica massage oils, bath soak or classic CBD oils applied directly to the sore joint. These target the specific area and can offer quick relief for localized pain and stiffness.

Both methods have their place, and many people find the best results by using them together: oral CBD for overall support, and topical CBD for targeted relief.

Our products are designed for real people with real aches, especially women navigating the changes that come with midlife. Whether you're rubbing the serum onto sore knees after yoga, or taking a few drops under the tongue before your morning walk, our CBD products are perfectly crafted to support your joints gently and naturally.

Final thoughts

Osteoarthritis may be common, especially for women in menopause, but that doesn’t mean you have to just “live with it.” Science is catching up to what many people already suspect: natural compounds like CBD can play a powerful role in keeping our joints healthy and our lives active.

As we continue to learn more about how stress, hormones and cellular health affect our joints, it’s empowering to know that we have tools, like CBD, that can make a real difference. Whether you’re just starting to feel the creaks or have been managing pain for years, it’s worth exploring a natural path to better joint health.