Metabolic Syndrome is a major cause of ill health in America. This condition is also known as Syndrome X, but it would more easily be understood if it were called "pre-diabetes". Metabolic Syndrome is quite possible the most pervasive health problem in the U.S., affecting approximately 60 million people. These numbers increase every year and are starting to include more and more children.
So, what is Metabolic Syndrome? According to the American Medical Association, if you meet any of the following three criteria, you have Metabolic Syndrome:
1. A waist measurement of 40 inches or greater in men and 35 inches or greater in women
2. Triglycerides of 150 mg/dl or higher
3. HDL cholesterol less than 40 mg/dl in men and less than 50 mg/dl in women
4. Blood pressure of 135/85 or higher
5. Fasting blood glucose of 100 or higher
It is important to understand that the key issue with Metabolic Syndrome is control of the blood sugar, not just the glucose level on your lab test. This is really an issue of how much insulin is need to keep the glucose level within normal limits.
The cause of Metabolic Syndrome is, quite simply, a poor diet. This is a lifestyle modulated disorder. Excessive consumption of refined carbohydrates rapidly convert to blood sugar and over time stress out the system. Over time, the body becomes unable to metabolize carbohydrates normally, which means that you need more and more insulin to do the same work. In essence, the normal amount of insulin isn't working. This is called "insulin resistance." Other factors that play a role in this disorder are stress, lack of exercise and nutritional deficiencies.
Why is this important to you? Metabolic syndrome can have devastating effects on your health. These include: weight gain, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, fatty liver, inflammation, kidney destruction, blood clotting and eventually, diabetes.
This condition also affects hormone function. Too much insulin in men can lead to decreased testosterone. Elevated triglycerides can block substances called "leptins", which normally tell the brain that you've had enough to eat. This leads to overeating. Cortisol, which is your stress hormone, can cause glucose to be elevated even when you haven eaten. It does this by breaking down lean muscle mass.
It is important to properly evaluate your metabolism to see how Metabolic Syndrome has affected your system. A number of lab tests are relevant in this scenario. These include: glucose, hemoglobin A1C, cholesterol, triglycerides, SGPT liver enzyme, uric acid and phosphorous. Also, with heart disease being one of the primary concerns with Metabolic Syndrome, it would prudent to check c-reactive protein and fibrinogen.
Based upon your lab findings, there are a number of things that can be done to reverse Metabolic Syndrome. Nutritional supplementation, diet and exercise are key.
Metabolic Syndrome can have devastating affects on your health. Because of this, you should be coached through a recovery program with a doctor who is well versed in functional medicine and nutrition. If you meet 3 of the above criteria and would like help reversing this syndrome, call Dr. Boggs at (304)255-4325.
