Metabolic Syndrome - A metabolism out of control?

With the Heart Health Month in this month and love in the air, I think it is a good idea to visit some of the risk factors which can lead to heart and cardiovascular health issues. In the last blog the focus was on improving metabolism, in this issue I will discuss what happens once our metabolism is out of control! Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. If you have metabolic syndrome or any of the components of metabolic syndrome, you have the opportunity to make aggressive lifestyle changes. Making these changes can delay or derail the development of serious diseases that may result from metabolic syndrome.

Signs and symptoms

Having metabolic syndrome means you have several disorders related to your metabolism at the same time, including:

Obesity, particularly around your waist (having an "apple shape")
Elevated blood pressure
An elevated level of the blood fat called triglycerides and a low level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol — the "good" cholesterol
Resistance to insulin, a hormone that helps to regulate the amount of sugar in your body

Having one component of metabolic syndrome means you're more likely to have others. And the more components you have, the greater are the risks to your health.

Causes

As the name suggests, metabolic syndrome is tied to your body's metabolism, possibly to a condition called insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone made by your pancreas that helps control the amount of sugar in your bloodstream.

Normally, your digestive system breaks down some of the foods you eat into sugar (glucose). Your blood carries the glucose to your body's tissues, where the cells use it as fuel. Glucose enters your cells with the help of insulin. In people with insulin resistance, cells don't respond normally to insulin, and glucose can't enter the cells as easily. Your body reacts by churning out more and more insulin to help glucose get into your cells. The result is higher than normal levels of both insulin and glucose in your blood.

Although perhaps not high enough to qualify as diabetes, an elevated glucose level still interferes with your body processes. Increased insulin 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 put you at risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other conditions.

Disagreement among experts

Not all experts agree on the definition of metabolic syndrome or whether it even exists as a distinct medical condition. Doctors have talked about this constellation of risk factors for years and have called it many names, including syndrome X and insulin resistance syndrome. Whatever it's called, and however it's precisely defined, this collection of risk factors is becoming more prevalent.

Risk factors

The following factors increase your chances of having metabolic syndrome:

Age. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome increases with age, affecting less than 10 percent of people in their 20s and 40 percent of people in their 60s. However, some research shows that about one in eight schoolchildren has three or more components of metabolic syndrome. And, other research has identified an association between childhood metabolic syndrome and adult cardiovascular disease decades later.
Race. Hispanics and Asians seem to be at greater risk of metabolic syndrome than other races are.
Obesity. A body mass index (BMI) — a measure of your percentage of body fat based on height and weight — greater than 25 increases your risk of metabolic syndrome. So does abdominal obesity — having an apple shape rather than a pear shape.
History of diabetes. You're more likely to have metabolic syndrome if you have a family history of type 2 diabetes or a history of diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes).
Other diseases. A diagnosis of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease or polycystic ovary syndrome — a similar type of metabolic problem that affects a woman's hormones and reproductive system — also increases your risk of metabolic syndrome.

Prevention

Whether you have one, two or none of the components of metabolic syndrome, the following lifestyle changes will reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke. You can begin to curb your insulin resistance by making these lifestyle changes:

Commit to a healthy diet. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Choose lean cuts of white meat or fish over red meat. Avoid processed or deep-fried foods. Eliminate table salt and experiment with other herbs and spices.
Eat fiber-rich foods. Make sure you include whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables in your grocery cart. These items are packed with dietary fiber, which can lower your insulin levels.
Get moving. Get plenty of regular, moderately strenuous physical activity. 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking, every day is recommended.
Schedule regular checkups. Check your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels on a regular basis. Make additional lifestyle modifications if the numbers are going the wrong way.
Lose weight. Losing as little as 5 percent to 10 percent of your body weight can reduce insulin levels and blood pressure, and decrease your risk of diabetes.
Stop smoking. Smoking cigarettes increases insulin resistance and worsens the health consequences of metabolic syndrome. Get the help you need to kick this hazardous habit.

Please note: the information presented here is based on Mayo clinic research.