What is Metabolic Syndrome?

Also called Insulin Resistance Syndrome and Metabolic Syndrome X, not all doctors agree on the definition or cause of Metabolic Syndrome.

It is generally defined as a group of conditions that put you at risk for heart disease and diabetes. These are:

Related diseases and symptoms are:

Most that have this syndrome are older, obese, sedentary, and have insulin resistance. The most important factors - in order of relevance - are:

As for the cause, many think it might be insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone your body produces to help you turn sugar from food into energy for your body. If you are insulin resistant, too much sugar builds up in your blood, setting the stage for disease.

If you have any 3 of these conditions listed above, you are considered to have metabolic syndrome and are at high risk for:

Some studies estimate the as many as 25% of the population – 55 million persons - in the U.S. have this condition. Just about the same percentage that are considered overweight or obese, ironically.

Most of these people are over 40 with the highest numbers in those over 60 with a percentage of more than 50% having the diagnosis.

Those with this disease, unfortunately, rarely get the keep they need until they suffer a heart attack, the onset of diabetes or a stroke. This wakeup call sometimes comes too late.

Since only one of the principal signs is really detectable without a lab test – being fat – everyone over 35 should consider getting their HDL, LDL and triglycerides levels tested.

And if you have family members who have Metabolic Syndrome, it’s very important to get a full checkup at your local clinic.

Even for those who are considered or normal weight and have fairly normal waist sizes need to be concerned: Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, a cardiologist with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota said a new study shows that just because your weight may be normal for your size, it doesn't mean you aren't at risk for heart disease and diabetes.

“If you are of normal weight, don't feel that everything is just fine,” Lopez-Jimenez said. “If you have an excess amount of fat, you might have metabolic abnormalities as well.”

“Body weight is a very blunt instrument; it is not a reliable gauge of obesity, or health, at the individual level,” said Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine. “For example, a muscular man may have a very high body weight, yet be perfectly fit and healthy. Many people whose body weight is in the normal range are anything but.”

And some people are vulnerable to weight gain in all the wrong places, such as in and around the vital organs of the abdomen, notably the liver, Katz added.

“Even a small amount of extra fat where it matters most can wreak metabolic havoc, increasing risk for diabetes and heart disease, while leaving you with a body weight that looks perfectly innocent,” Katz stated. “Excess body fat in the belly is a menace, whatever your weight. This study should sensitize patients and providers alike to this concern.”

Metabolic Syndrome is most often treated using a combination of healthy eating – fewer overall calories as a start – and exercise. In cases where this is ineffective, drugs are often prescribed to lower cholesterol and keep blood pressure in normal ranges.

A good fat burner program would be an excellent start – and even better applied before the onset of Type 2 diabetes or worse. So get a check up and get active – metabolic syndrome is no joke and just waiting for those that eat too much of the wrong foods and lay around the house instead of getting regular exercise.

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