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Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is actually a combination of various health risks caused by metabolic disorders that increase your chances of developing diseases like cardiovascular problems, stroke and diabetes. Metabolic Syndrome is also known as Syndrome X or Insulin Resistance Syndrome.
Signs and Symptoms
A person diagnosed with metabolic syndrome has one or all of the following disorders
- Obesity: Particularly abdominal obesity which is indicated by a waist line more than 40 inches in men and 35 inches in women.
- Blood fat disorders: High levels of triglycerides, low HDL (lower than 35 mg/dl) cholesterol and high LDL cholesterol that lead to plaque buildups in artery walls)
- Increased blood pressure of 130/85 or more
- Insulin resistance or glucose intolerance: The body is unable to properly use insulin or sugar in blood.
- Elevated highly sensitive C reactive protein in blood.
- Elevated fasting glucose: Equal to greater than 100 mg/dl.
Having just one of these conditions signifies sufficient risk to a health problem. Presence of more than one or all of these factors is undoubtedly very dangerous for health.
Cause
The main cause of metabolic syndrome is generally supposed to be a genetic resistance to insulin. Normally the digestive system breaks down some of the food into glucose which enters the cells through help of insulin. In people with insulin resistance, cell doesn't respond to insulin and glucose can not enter cells, stopping body to use one of the most essential energy fuels.
In response the body makes more and more insulin. The result is higher than normal level of insulin and glucose in blood, affecting the functioning of kidneys, increasing blood pressure and chances of heart disease.
There are other associated factors as well such as excess body fat and physical inactivity that can cause insulin resistance and metabolic syndromes in many people. It is a fact that mot people with insulin resistance have abdominal obesity.
Medical science is still trying to identify the reason of insulin resistance. The biological mechanism at the molecular level between insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome is vastly complex and it has not been yet fully grasped or understood.
Risk Factors
Following factor increases the chances of a person to have metabolic syndrome
- Age: People are more likely to be affected by metabolic syndrome in their later years
- Race: Hispanics and Asians are more prone to get metabolic syndrome
- Obesity
- History of Diabetes
Prevention
Metabolic syndrome particularly leads to higher risk of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. To manage both long term and short term risks factor, life style therapies are suggest. They include
- No smoking to reduce LDL cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose level.
- Weight loss to acquire required weight
- Increased physical activity, with at least 30 minutes per day of moderate to intense activity.
- Healthy diet habits, that reduces the intake of saturated fat and cholesterol.