Metabolic Syndrome: New name for familiar set of maladies

The term Metabolic Syndrome, also known as Syndrome X, was first conceived back in 1988, by Dr. Gerald Reaven, Stanford University. The Mayo Clinic defines Metabolic Syndrome as, “…a cluster of conditions—increased blood pressure, high blood sugar level, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol levels—that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.” Each of these metabolic conditions can occur singularly, or they can occur simultaneously. It is when they occur simultaneously that you are at risk of developing one of the aforementioned serious diseases. The good news is this syndrome can be prevented and even reversed through lifestyle changes and choices. But first, let’s take a look at the risk factors that make up this syndrome. If you’ve been diagnosed with Metabolic Syndrome you have at least three of the following:

            1—Abnormal Obesity. This is when body fat is centered or concentrated around your waist, also referred to as having an “apple” shape. A waist circumference of 40 inches or more for men, and 35 inches for women, is considered the standard by which obesity is defined. When there is excess fat concentrated around the waist, as opposed to the hips, it raises probabilities of developing heart disease.

            2—High Blood Pressure. Blood pressure is the measured force of blood pushing against your artery walls during both the active phase (systolic, top number) and resting phase (diastolic, bottom number). Blood pressure is considered “high” if your systolic number rises to 130 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or more, and your diastolic number rises to over 85 mm Hg or more, and stays there. High blood pressure over time leads to plaque build up and can damage your heart.

            3—High “Fasting” Blood Sugar. High blood sugar on a consistent basis can predict a sluggish pancreas and leave you vulnerable to diabetes. A fasting blood sugar test is usually done first thing in the morning before you’ve eaten any food and have fasted for approximately 12 hours. The test is administered this way to get a clear reading of your serum (blood) sugar levels, as sugar in foods and liquids can cause a swing in the reading. If your sugar levels are above 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), you are considered to have “high” blood sugar.

            4—High Blood Fat (Tryglyceride) and High Cholesterol Levels. If your tryglyceride levels are 150 mg/dL or more, and your “good” cholesterol levels are below 40 mg/dL for men, and below 50 mg/dL for women, you fall in the high blood fat category.

            The more of these individual “risk factors” you have, the greater your chances for developing heart disease, diabetes and stroke. If you have 3 or more of these “risk factors,” you are considered to clinically have Metabolic Syndrome. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the NIH (National Institutes of Health) has determined that a person who has Metabolic Syndrome is twice as likely to develop heart disease and five times as likely to develop diabetes than someone who doesn’t.

            There are additional risk factors that can increase your likelihood for developing heart disease. Those include a high LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, level above 200 mg/dL, and smoking. These aren’t considered part of the syndrome, but are red flag raisers, nevertheless. Obesity, however, is considered a condition that is closely linked to Metabolic Syndrome, as is insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body has trouble properly utilizing insulin, a pancreatic hormone that helps to transport sugar through the blood to cells, where it is converted to energy. If the body is unable to efficiently transport sugar, the sugar remains in the blood where it is toxic at high levels. When you are insulin resistant, sugar (glucose) is having trouble entering your cells to be properly utilized. This leads to a diabetic state.

            What if your glucose levels are high, but not high enough to be considered diabetic? Even if your [glucose] levels aren’t high enough to be considered diabetes, an elevated glucose level can still be harmful. In fact, some doctors refer to this condition as ‘pre-diabetic. Increased insulin resistance raises your triglyceride level and other blood fat levels. It also interferes with how your kidneys work, leading to higher blood pressure. These combined effects of insulin resistance puts you at risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other conditions.

• Hudson, Tori, N.D. Women’s Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine: Alternative Therapies and Integrative Medicine for Total Health and Wellness. NY: McGraw-Hill, 2008.

• Null, Gary, Ph.D. Be Healthy Woman. NY: Seven Stories Press, 2009.