Dancing is a fusion of art, sport, and even a bit of therapy. But what happens when your ability to move—whether on the dance floor or in daily life—is at risk? Mobility loss is an often-overlooked public health issue that has significant implications for overall well-being, independence, and quality of life. It can impact the ability to engage in essential day-to-day activities such as getting dressed and cooking meals, and it can also decrease the enjoyment of activities like hiking, biking, and yes, even dancing.
The ECS, one of the body’s built-in communication systems that is responsible for cognition, immunity, metabolic function, reproduction, inflammation, and the gastrointestinal function, plays a critical role in helping people stay active longer. It can regulate a range of functions and processes, such as pain, mood, appetite, and sleep. At Nalu Bio, we’re focused on harnessing the power of this important system to develop supplements and therapeutics that solve the top health and wellness challenges—including mobility. Earlier this year, we announced our partnership with PIPA to create a new category of health and wellness products optimized by AI to determine how unique bioactive combinations can enhance efficacy for pain relief, inflammation reduction, bone health, and more. This collaboration has accelerated our ability to target the ECS, and we can’t wait to share our new product line with you in the coming months.
Closing the Gap: A $1 Trillion Opportunity
Research suggests that the ECS may be more efficient in women than in men, particularly in addressing health conditions that affect mobility due to its well-known effects on inflammation and overall quality of life. This insight drives our development of the first Nalu Bio products to hit the market, which will be formulated for women. Additionally, we’re developing new, patented chemical entities (NCEs) to enhance drug efficacy and safety for all genders while potentially reducing side effects in major markets such as pain management.
Mobility and Menopause
Menopause exacerbates mobility issues. According to the National Institutes of Health, 71% of women experience musculoskeletal problems during this time. These issues include joint pain, osteoporosis, and decreased muscle mass, all of which can severely impact mobility. The hormonal changes during menopause, particularly the reduction in estrogen levels, contribute significantly to these musculoskeletal challenges. Estrogen plays a crucial role in maintaining bone density and muscle mass; its decline can lead to accelerated bone loss and muscle weakness.
Autoimmune Diseases and Women
Another significant factor contributing to mobility loss in women is the prevalence of autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases are conditions where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues. Women are disproportionately affected by these diseases, with 78% of Americans with an autoimmune disease being women according to the Centers for Disease Control. Conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and multiple sclerosis not only cause chronic pain and fatigue but also lead to significant mobility impairment. The chronic inflammation associated with these diseases can result in joint damage, muscle weakness, and overall decreased physical function.
The disparities in women's health, particularly regarding mobility loss, are part of a broader women's wellness gap. This gap is characterized by inequities in healthcare access, research funding, and treatment options for women. According to a report by McKinsey, closing the women's health gap could unlock a $1 trillion opportunity to improve lives and economies globally. Mobility loss not only affects women's physical health but also has significant economic implications. Women who experience mobility issues are more likely to miss work, retire early, or require long-term care, leading to substantial economic costs for individuals, families, and society. Addressing these issues can improve women's productivity and economic contributions, benefiting society as a whole.
A Promising Solution
The ECS is composed of endocannabinoids (cannabinoids produced by the body), receptors, and enzymes. It helps maintain equilibrium within the body by regulating various physiological processes. Women have a higher density of cannabinoid receptors in certain areas of the brain and reproductive system, which might explain why they respond differently to cannabinoids than men. This unique efficiency can be harnessed to address women's health issues, particularly those related to mobility, and that’s what Nalu Bio is focusing on for its first product launch.
Research has shown that no-high cannabinoids and bioactive compounds can effectively address some health issues more prevalent in women, such as osteoporosis and autoimmune disease. These compounds interact with the ECS to provide pain relief, reduce inflammation, and promote muscle and bone health without intoxicating effects. For women experiencing chronic pain due to musculoskeletal issues or autoimmune diseases, the right combinations—accelerated through our partnership with PIPA—offer a potential alternative to traditional pain management strategies, which often involve the use of opioids and steroids.
To all the women who feel more—more pain, more joy, more everything—it’s time to ensure there’s more support for you, too. Stay tuned as we continue to develop solutions that enhance everyone’s mobility and quality of life.
Sources: "Sex Differences in Cannabinoid Receptor-1 Signaling." Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, vol. 5, 2011. Korgaonkar, Aditya A., et al. "A Comprehensive Survey of Cannabinoid Receptor 1 in the Human Brain." Frontiers in Neuroscience, vol. 15, 2021, article 747229. MacLusky, N. J., et al. “Estrogen Modulation of Hypothalamic Astrocyte Morphology and Neuronal Function." Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, vol. 56, no. 1-6, 1996, pp. 193-200. Yuan, Sharleen, et al. "Diverse Non-neuronal Cell Types Drive Region-specific Onset and Progression of White Matter Pathology in a Human Brain." Nature Communications, vol. 12, no. 1, 2021, article 3505.
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