Hooker - I haven't checked your references yet to see if your studies cover it or not, but......
Have you reviewed the data that links elevated estrogen and progesterone to tumor necrosis factor alpha and interluekin 6? These 2 bastards are hell on joints. My understanding is that, with adequate
testosterone, a balance can be had -- keeping both TNF-a and IL-6 in check, so to say. Without
testosterone, estrogen and progesterone are culprits in their elevation to damaging levels, (at least in those genetically susceptible).
Also,
DHT appears to be neutral to TNF-a and IL-6, it does not seem to raise nor lower them.