The default diagnosis for any woman over 50 with new joint pain is “menopause.” The link between estrogen, collagen synthesis, and inflammation is well-documented, so it’s not an incorrect answer. It’s just often an incomplete one.
My own HRT protocol made a noticeable difference in generalized morning stiffness, but it didn’t eliminate every ache. For anyone also lifting heavy and on a GLP-1 agonist, there are at least two other major variables in play.