Abstract
This study aimed to explore the causal relationship between trace elements and osteoarthritis (OA). The results showed a relatively weak association between copper and OA, while vitamin D showed a significant positive association with OA. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was used to investigate the causal relationship between copper and vitamin D and OA. A variety of MR methods including inverse variance weighting, weighted median, MR-Egger, simple model, and multi-text mixed model were analyzed to confirm the consistency of these results. Sensitivity analysis further confirmed the reliability of these causal relationships and excluded the interference of pleiotropy. These findings add to the understanding of the potential role of micronutrients in the prevention and treatment of OA and support the idea of vitamin D as a potential therapy for the prevention and treatment of OA. Future studies should further explore the specific biological mechanisms of these trace elements and the differences in their effects in different populations in order to develop more effective treatment strategies to reduce the health burden of degenerative joint diseases.